JP7544526B2 - Partition - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a partition in which panel elements are supported on a frame member.

As an example of a partition, there is a partition in which multiple window sections are formed by a lattice, as shown in Patent Document 1. In general, a partition has a rectangular frame member composed of a pair of vertical frame members in the horizontal direction and a pair of horizontal frame members in the vertical direction. In the inner area of the frame member, vertical and horizontal bar members are arranged to form a lattice, and each of the square window sections that make up the lattice is blocked by a panel element supported by the vertical and horizontal bar members and frame member that make up the lattice.

JP 2005-180049 A

However, with this type of partition, it is desirable to improve the overall design of the partition by thinning the frame and crosspiece members, which are the strength components of the partition, and by making the joints between the members less noticeable.

The object of the present invention is to provide a partition that allows for improved design.

The partition for solving the above problem is a partition comprising a frame member having a pair of vertical frame members and a pair of horizontal frame members, and a horizontal rail member arranged parallel to the horizontal frame members in the inner region of the frame member, the horizontal rail member having a support wall extending in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal rail member and extending along the panel surface, and a protruding portion protruding from the support wall in the front-rear direction and extending parallel to the support wall in the longitudinal direction, the protruding portion being formed lower than the support wall.

The partition for solving the above problem is a partition comprising a frame member having a pair of vertical frame members and a pair of horizontal frame members, and a vertical bar member arranged parallel to the vertical frame members in the inner region of the frame member, and selectively comprising a horizontal bar member arranged parallel to the horizontal frame members in the inner region, at least one of the horizontal frame members and the horizontal bar member being a horizontal element, the vertical bar member being connected to the horizontal element, and further comprising a concealing portion that covers the joint between the horizontal element and the vertical bar member.

In the above-mentioned partition, the concealing portion may be configured to cover the joint when viewed from a direction opposite to the panel surface.
In the above partition, the hidden portion may be a rib extending in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal element and protruding in the extending direction of the vertical rail member.

In the above partition, the hidden portion may be configured so that its height dimension is greater than the height dimension of the joint.
In the above partition, the vertical members may be connected to the horizontal elements via caps attached to each end of the vertical members, and the joint may be defined by the horizontal elements and the caps.

In the above-mentioned partition, the concealed portion may be provided on the indoor side.
In the above partition, the horizontal bar member may be provided with a support wall that is parallel to the hidden portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal element and protrudes in the direction in which the vertical bar member extends along the panel surface, and the support wall may be formed higher than the hidden portion.

The partition for solving the above problem is a partition comprising a frame member having a pair of vertical frame members and a pair of horizontal frame members, and a horizontal bar member arranged parallel to the horizontal frame members in the inner region of the frame member, the horizontal bar member having a support wall extending in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal bar member and protruding in the direction in which the vertical bar member extends along the panel surface, and a rib extending in the longitudinal direction, parallel to the support wall, and protruding in the direction in which the vertical bar member extends, the support wall being formed higher than the hidden portion.

According to the present invention, the joints between the vertical members and the horizontal elements can be made less noticeable to the viewer.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sliding door, which is an example of a partition. Cross-section of a panel element. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a panel member showing the relationship between the panel element, the vertical frame member, the horizontal rail member, and the vertical rail member. FIG. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the panel member at a position where a vertical rail member is provided. An exploded perspective view showing the mounting relationship between the upper frame member, vertical bar members, and horizontal bar members. An exploded perspective view showing the mounting relationship between the vertical bar member and the lower frame member. These are cross-sectional views showing the joints between the horizontal element and the vertical bar member, where (a) shows the joint between the upper frame member and the vertical bar member, (b) shows the joint between the vertical bar member and the horizontal bar member, and (c) shows the joint between the vertical bar member and the lower frame member. FIG. 13 is a front view showing an example of a lattice design of a partition. FIG. 13 is a front view showing an example of a lattice design of a partition. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between a vertical rail member, a horizontal rail member, and a movement suppression member in a window portion in which no panel element is arranged. FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a folding door, which is an example of a partition.

Hereinafter, a horizontal blind to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.
First Embodiment
As shown in Figure 1, the partition is a sliding door in which a panel member 3 is suspended and supported from an upper runner 2 that moves along an upper rail, and a lower runner 4 is guided by a lower rail, so that the panel member 3 moves in the direction of arrow D, which is the direction of movement. The partition is configured such that a plurality of such panel members 3 are arranged in parallel along an upper rail and a lower rail, so that each panel member 3 can move in the direction of arrow D. Such a partition can be used as a partition for separating the interior of a room, and can also be used as a partition for separating the interior from the exterior. The front and rear surfaces of the panel member 3 along the direction of movement are panel surfaces on which a design is applied by panel elements 11.

The panel member 3 includes a panel element 11, a pair of vertical frame members 12 and 13 (horizontal direction) that are vertical elements, and a pair of upper and lower frame members 14 and 15 (vertical direction) that are horizontal elements. The upper frame member 14 includes a pair of upper runners 2 spaced apart in the horizontal direction, and the lower frame member 15 includes a pair of lower runners 4 spaced apart in the horizontal direction. The upper and lower frame members 14 and 15, which are horizontal frame members, and the pair of vertical frame members 12 and 13 together form a frame member 18. One or more panel elements 11 are arranged in the inner area surrounded by the frame member 18. The inner area also includes horizontal bar members 16, which are horizontal elements that support the panel element 11, and vertical bar members 17 (17a, 17b), which are vertical elements. The horizontal bar members 16 and vertical bar members 17 (17a, 17b) are bar members that form the framework of the frame member 18.

The vertical bar member 17a is a member that is disposed between the upper frame member 14 or the lower frame member 15 and the adjacent horizontal bar member 16, and the vertical bar member 17b is a member that is connected between the horizontal bar members 16. Hereinafter, the vertical bar members 17a and 17b are collectively referred to as the vertical bar members 17.

[Panel elements]
As shown in FIG. 2, the panel element 11 comprises a design member 21 and a pair of support members 22 that sandwich the design member 21. The design member 21 is, for example, a flexible sheet such as nonwoven fabric, Japanese paper, cloth, or synthetic resin sheet. The design member 21 made of these materials is less likely to unravel when cut and is easy to handle. The design member 21 is designed by printing various patterns on each side. In addition, one or both sides of the design member 21 may be plain. Here, the design member 21 is a cloth with a pattern woven into it. The design member 21 may be a flexible sheet or a non-flexible sheet.

The support member 22 is a thermoplastic resin sheet such as a polyvinyl chloride sheet. As a result, the support member 22 can be integrated with the design member 21 by thermocompression bonding. In addition, the support member 22 is a sheet having optical transparency. If the support member 22 has optical transparency, the support member 22 may be transparent or translucent. As a result, when the design member 21 is sandwiched between the support member 22, a viewer can see the pattern of the design member 21 from the outside. The support member 22 may have a pattern printed thereon, and in this case, the pattern of the design member 21 and the pattern of the support member 22 can form a three-dimensional, composite design. Furthermore, when the design member 21 is flexible, the support member 22 can also be flexible, thereby imparting flexibility to the panel element 11 itself. Furthermore, when the support member 22 is a rigid support plate, the panel element 11 itself can be a rigid panel plate.

The panel element 11 may be configured with only one support member 22. When the support member 22 is configured with only one sheet, for example, the support member 22 is arranged on the entire surface of one side of the design member 21. The design member 21 is fixed to the support member 22 with a fixing member such as adhesive or double-sided tape in the part hidden by the frame member 18, the horizontal member 16, and the vertical member 17. The panel element 11 may also be configured with two support members 22 without sandwiching the design member 21. In this case, the two support members 22 may be flexible sheets having light transmission or light blocking properties, or may be rigid plates having light transmission or light blocking properties that are difficult to bend. Furthermore, one sheet may be a flexible sheet having light transmission or light blocking properties, and the other may be a rigid plate having light transmission or light blocking properties. An acrylic plate or the like may be used as the rigid plate having light transmission or light blocking properties.

Furthermore, the panel element 11 can be constructed only from a sheet material in which the design member 21 is impregnated with synthetic resin, or the sheet material can be further kneaded with a fire retardant.
The panel element 11 may also be configured such that a piece of the design member 21 is attached to one support member 22. That is, the design member 21 may be partially disposed on one support member 22.

The panel elements 11 configured as described above are arranged between the upper frame member 14 and the horizontal member 16, between two adjacent horizontal members 16, and between the horizontal member 16 and the lower frame member 15. For example, the panel member 3 shown in FIG. 1 has six vertical stages, with a horizontally long panel element 11 fitted into each stage. That is, each panel element 11 is composed of a rectangular sheet material whose short side (vertical direction) is the dimension of one stage and whose long side (horizontal direction) is the dimension between the vertical frame members 12 and 13. The panel element 11 has a thickness (support member 22 + design member 21 + support member 22) of several millimeters, preferably 0.5 mm or less, and more preferably about 3 mm.

[Vertical frame member]
As shown in FIG. 3, the vertical frame members 12, 13 and the vertical frame 26 are provided as a vertical frame. FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the panel element 11, the vertical frame member 12, the horizontal bar member 16 and the vertical bar member 17. The vertical frame 26 is a metal shaped material such as aluminum, and is a hollow member. The outer side surface of the vertical frame 26 is provided with a cushion 27 made of a rubber material or the like. The inner side surface of the vertical frame 26 is provided with a vertical support groove 28 that supports the vertical edge portion of the panel element 11. A vertical spacer 29 made of a rubber material or the like is fitted into the vertical support groove 28. The vertical spacer 29 is an elongated member having a V-shaped cross section, and the vertical edge portion of the panel element 11 is fitted into the valley portion. As a result, the vertical edge portion of the panel element 11 is supported by the vertical support groove 28 via the vertical spacer 29. A plurality of vertical spacers 29 may be arranged in parallel in the vertical direction, but in this case, the vertical spacer 29 has a length that is approximately equivalent to the distance between the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15. The panel element 11 is capable of slight displacement in the front-to-rear direction relative to the vertical frame members 12 and 13 due to the elasticity of the vertical spacers 29 .

[Upper frame member]
As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the upper frame member 14 includes an upper frame 31 as an upper frame. The upper frame 31 is a metal shaped material such as aluminum, and is a hollow member. The upper frame 31 includes an upper shaft member 32 disposed within the upper frame 31 and extending upward from the upper surface of the upper frame 31. The upper shaft member 32 includes a roller member 33 at its upper tip portion that is engaged with the upper rail. The front wall 31a and the rear wall 31b of the upper frame 31 include an upper cover member 34 extending upward. The front and rear upper cover members 34 are disposed so as to sandwich the upper shaft member 32, thereby covering the gap between the front wall 31a and the rear wall 31b and the upper rail, and preventing a part of the upper shaft member 32 from being exposed. The upper cover member 34 includes an engagement piece 34a at its base end, and is attached by engaging with an attachment groove 34b provided at the upper end of the front wall 31a and the rear wall 31b.

The lower surface of the upper frame 31 is provided with an upper support groove 35 that supports the upper edge of the panel element 11. An upper spacer 35a made of rubber or the like is fitted into the upper support groove 35, and the upper edge of the panel element 11 is supported by the upper support groove 35 via the upper spacer 35a. The upper spacer 35a is a member having the same configuration as the vertical spacer 29. Although multiple upper spacers 35a may be arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, in this case, the upper spacer 35a has a length that is approximately equivalent to the longitudinal length of the upper frame member 14. The upper spacer 35a has elasticity, so that the panel element 11 can be slightly displaced in the front-rear direction relative to the upper frame member 14.

The lower ends of the front wall 31a and the rear wall 31b are provided with upper ribs 31c, 31d (see FIG. 5) that protrude downward from the surface on which the upper engagement groove 35b is provided. The upper ribs 31c, 31d are concealed portions that hide the joint between the upper frame member 14 and the first end 51 of the vertical bar member 17a, making it difficult to see from the direction facing the panel surface. The area between the upper ribs 31c, 31d and the upper support groove 35 is the upper engagement groove 35b with which the first end 51 of the vertical bar member 17 abuts and engages, and both sides of the upper support groove 35 form flat surfaces of the same height.

[Lower frame member]
As shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 6, the lower frame member 15 includes a lower frame 36 as a lower frame. The lower frame 36 is a hollow member made of a metal material such as aluminum. The lower frame 36 includes a lower shaft member 37 disposed within the lower frame 36 and extending downward from the lower surface of the lower frame 36. The lower shaft member 37 includes a slider 38 at its lower end portion that engages with the lower rail. The front wall 36a and rear wall 36b of the lower frame 36 include a lower cover member 39 extending downward. The lower cover member 39 includes an engagement piece 39a at its base end portion, and is attached by engaging with an attachment groove 39b provided at the lower end of the front wall 36a and rear wall 36b.

The lower surface of the lower frame 36 is provided with a lower support groove 40 that supports the lower edge of the panel element 11. A lower spacer 40a made of rubber or the like is fitted into the lower support groove 40, and the lower edge of the panel element 11 is supported by the lower support groove 40 via the lower spacer 40a. The lower spacer 40a is a member having the same configuration as the vertical spacer 29 and the upper spacer 35a. Although multiple lower spacers 40a may be arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, in this case, the lower spacer 40a has a length that is approximately equivalent to the longitudinal length of the lower frame member 15. The panel element 11 can be slightly displaced in the front-rear direction relative to the lower frame member 15 due to the elasticity of the lower spacer 40a.

The upper ends of the front wall 36a and the rear wall 36b are provided with lower ribs 36c, 36d (see FIG. 6) that protrude above the surface on which the lower engagement groove 40b is provided. The lower ribs 36c, 36d are concealed portions that hide the joint between the lower frame member 15 and the vertical bar member 17, making it difficult to see from the direction opposite the panel surface. The area between the lower ribs 36c, 36d and the lower support groove 40 forms the lower engagement groove 40b with which the end of the vertical bar member 17 abuts and engages, and the pieces on both sides of the lower support groove 40 form flat surfaces of the same height.

[Horizontal beam member]
4 and 5, the horizontal bar member 16 is an elongated member having a length approximately equal to the distance between the vertical frame members 12, 13, and is a hollow metal shaped member such as aluminum. In the inner region surrounded by the upper frame member 14, the lower frame member 15, and the vertical frame members 12, 13, the number of horizontal bar members 16 is determined according to the design. The horizontal bar member 16 includes an upper support structure 41a that supports the lower edge of the panel element 11, and a lower support structure 41b that supports the upper edge of the panel element 11. Since the upper support structure 41a and the lower support structure 41b have a shape that is line-symmetrical vertically, hereinafter they are also referred to simply as support structure 41.

The support structure 41 includes a pair of opposing support walls 42, a support groove 43 provided between the pair of support walls 42, an engagement groove 44 into which the end of the vertical bar member 17 engages, and a rib 45 (see FIG. 5) provided on the outside of the engagement groove 44. The pair of support walls 42 are spaced apart so that the edge of the panel element 11 can be inserted, forming a V-groove-shaped support groove 43 therebetween.

The pair of support walls 42 are perpendicular to the bottom surface of the engagement groove 44 and are positioned to follow the panel surface of the panel element 11. The pair of support walls 42 are set to a height from the base end, which is the bottom surface of the engagement groove 44, to the tip end such that a spacer 46 can be accommodated between the pair of support walls 42 and such that the panel element 11 can be supported. The support walls 42 are also formed to have a minimum thickness that is sufficient to maintain the strength required to support the panel element 11 and the vertical frame members 12, 13, or are formed to be slightly thicker than that. In this way, by forming the support walls 42 thin, they are prevented from protruding more than necessary from the panel surface.

A spacer 46 made of rubber or the like is fitted into the support groove 43, and the edge of the panel element 11 is supported by the support groove 43 via the spacer 46. The spacer 46 is a member having the same configuration as the vertical spacer 29, the upper spacer 35a, and the lower spacer 40a. A plurality of spacers 46 may be arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, but in this case, the spacer 46 has a length that is approximately equivalent to the longitudinal length of the horizontal member 16. The panel element 11 can be displaced slightly in the front-rear direction relative to the horizontal member 16 due to the elasticity of the spacer 46.

The engagement grooves 44 are recessed portions provided on both sides of the support groove 43 via the support walls 42. That is, each engagement groove 44 is formed between the support walls 42 and the ribs 45, and the ends of the vertical bar members 17 are engaged with the engagement grooves 44. The ribs 45 are hidden portions, and the ribs 45 and the support walls 42 are parallel to each other. The ribs 45 protrude in the direction in which the vertical bar members 17 extend from the horizontal bar members 16, and hide the joint between the horizontal bar members 16 and the second ends 61 of the vertical bar members 17, making it difficult to see when viewed from the direction opposite the panel surface.

The height from the base end to the tip of the support wall 42 is set higher than the height from the base end to the tip of the rib 45. There is a large difference between the height of the support wall 42 and the height of the rib 45. In normal use of the partition, the support structure parts 41a, 41b of the horizontal member 16 are often viewed from diagonally above or below in a direction facing the panel surface from the viewer. The horizontal member 16 needs a minimum width to support the vertical member 17, but the large difference between the height of the support wall 42 and the height of the rib 45 makes the dimension from the support wall 42 to the rib 45 appear smaller to the viewer. In other words, the amount of protrusion of the horizontal member 16 from the panel surface appears smaller, making the horizontal member 16 appear thinner.

In other words, the cross-piece member 16 has a pair of support walls 42 arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction, with the front support wall 42 forming a protruding portion in which the engagement groove 44 and rib 45 protrude forward, and the rear support wall 42 forming a protruding portion in which the engagement groove 44 and rib 45 protrude rearward. The cross-piece member 16 makes the amount of protrusion from the support wall 42 appear smaller to the viewer by creating a large difference between the height of the support wall 42 and the height of the rib 45.

The horizontal bar member 16 configured as described above is not fixed to the pair of vertical frame members 12, 13 by a fixing means, but rather the lower edge of the panel element 11 is supported in the support groove 43 of the upper support structure 41a, and the upper edge of the panel element 11 is supported in the support groove 43 of the lower support structure 41b, thereby positioning the vertical height. The ends that form the joints between the horizontal bar member 16 and the vertical frame members 12, 13 do not have connecting members such as caps 52, 63 described below, and are simply positioned by being abutted against the surface on which the vertical support groove 28 is provided.

[Vertical bar member and cap]
5 and 6, the vertical bar members 17 include vertical bar members 17a connected to the upper frame member 14, vertical bar members 17b disposed between the horizontal bar members 16, and vertical bar members 17a connected to the lower frame member 15. Of these, the vertical bar members 17a connected to the upper frame member 14 and the vertical bar members 17a connected to the lower frame member 15 are used upside down and are the same members.

The vertical bar member 17a, which can be connected to the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15, is a long hollow member with an overall shape of a rectangular prism. For example, the vertical bar member 17a is a metal shaped material such as aluminum. The vertical bar member 17a extends on each side of the panel element 11 so as to sandwich the panel element 11 from the front and back. The first end 51, which is connected to the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15, has a flush opening end and a rectangular shape. A first cap 52 is attached to the first end 51, and the first end 51 engages with the upper engagement groove 35b of the upper frame member 14 and the lower engagement groove 40b of the lower frame member 15 via the first cap 52. The first end 51 has a flush opening end that does not have a step.

The first cap 52 placed on the first end 51 is an elastic member made of a different material from the vertical bar member 17a. In this case, the vertical bar member 17 is a metal profile, whereas the first cap 52 is a molded product made of an elastic synthetic resin material such as urethane rubber. The first cap 52 has an insertion portion 54 that is inserted into the insertion space 53 of the first end 51, and a locking portion 55 that locks into the open end of the first end 51. The insertion portion 54 has a square prism shape that can be inserted into the insertion space 53.

The insert portion 54 has press-fit protrusions 54a on opposing side surfaces that are pressed against the inner wall surface that constitutes the insertion space 53. The press-fit protrusions 54a are ridges that extend in the direction of insertion into the insertion space 53, and the insertion end has a tapered portion and serves as an insertion guide for the insertion space 53. Two press-fit protrusions 54a are provided parallel to each other on each opposing side surface of the insert portion 54. The top surface of each press-fit protrusion 54a serves as a pressure contact surface that is pressed against the inner wall surface of the insertion space 53. A guide groove 54b is formed between the parallel press-fit protrusions 54a on each opposing side surface of the insert portion 54. The inner wall surface that constitutes the insertion space 53 to which the press-fit protrusions 54a are pressed has an insertion guide portion 53a. The insertion guide portion 53a is a protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction and is inserted into the guide groove 54b.

The locking portion 55 is configured with a flat surface extending from one end of the insertion portion 54, and is configured to protrude outward relative to the insertion portion 54. When the insertion portion 54 is inserted into the insertion space 53, the locking portion 55 is locked to the opening end of the first end 51. The locking portion 55 has a protrusion 56 on its surface. The protrusion 56 is engaged with a hole 57 provided in the upper engagement groove 35b of the upper frame member 14 and a hole 57 provided in the lower engagement groove 40b of the lower frame member 15. The hole 57 is provided according to the lateral position of the vertical bar member 17 relative to the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15, which is determined by the design. The flat locking portion 55 is engaged with the upper engagement groove 35b of the upper frame member 14 and the lower engagement groove 40b of the lower frame member 15. At this time, the protrusion 56 is securely engaged with the hole 57 by utilizing the overall elasticity of the first cap 52. Because the upper engagement groove 35b and the lower engagement groove 40b are also flat, when the locking portion 55 engages with the upper engagement groove 35b and the lower engagement groove 40b, the seam appears as an extremely thin recessed groove.

The second end 61 of the vertical bar member 17a, which is opposite the first end 51, is the end that is connected to the horizontal bar member 16 and has an engagement recess 62 that escapes the support wall 42 of the horizontal bar member 16. The engagement recess 62 is formed by cutting out the second end 61 in an L-shape. A second cap 63 is attached to the second end 61, and the second end 61 engages with the engagement groove 44 of the support structure part 41 of the horizontal bar member 16 via the second cap 63.

The second cap 63 disposed at the second end 61 is also an elastic member different from the vertical bar member 17a, which is a metal profile, like the first cap 52, and is a molded product made of an elastic synthetic resin material. The second cap 63 has an insertion portion 65 inserted into the insertion space 64 of the second end 61, and a locking portion 66 that locks to the open end of the second end 61. The second end 61 is provided with an engagement recess 62, and thus has a tip end 61a and a base end 61b. Correspondingly, the insertion portion 65 has a tip insertion portion 65a inserted into the insertion space 64 of the tip end 61a, and a base insertion portion 65b inserted into the insertion space of the base end 61b.

The insertion portion 65 has press-fit protrusions 67 on opposing side surfaces that are pressed against the inner wall surface that constitutes the insertion space. The press-fit protrusions 67 are ridges that extend in the direction of insertion into the insertion space, and the insertion end has a tapered portion and serves as a guide for the insertion space 53. Two press-fit protrusions 67 are provided parallel to each other on each opposing side surface of the insertion portion 65. A guide groove 68 is formed between the parallel press-fit protrusions 67 on each opposing side surface of the insertion portion 65. The inner wall surface that constitutes the insertion space against which the press-fit protrusions 67 are pressed is provided with an insertion guide portion 68a. The insertion guide portion 68a is a protrusion that extends in the longitudinal direction and is inserted into the guide groove 68.

The locking portion 66 forms an L-shaped surface at the end of the insertion portion 65 and is configured to protrude outward relative to the tip insertion portion 65a and the base insertion portion 65b. When the insertion portion 65 is inserted into the insertion space, the locking portion 66 is locked to the open end of the second end portion 61. The locking portion 66 has a protrusion 69 at the position of the tip insertion portion 65a. The protrusion 69 is engaged with a hole 70 provided in the engagement groove 44 of the support structure portion 41. At this time, the protrusion 69 is securely engaged with the hole 70 by utilizing the overall elasticity of the second cap 63. Since the locking portion 66 has a shape that follows the support wall 42 and engagement groove 44 of the support structure portion 41, when the position of the tip insertion portion 65a is engaged with the engagement groove 44, the seam appears as an extremely thin concave groove.

The vertical bar member 17b disposed between the horizontal bar members 16 has a third end 71 and a fourth end 72 that face each other in the longitudinal direction. The ends 71 and 72 have the same configuration as the second end 61 that has the engagement recess 62, and a second cap 63 is attached to the ends 71 and 72.

With the first cap 52 and the second cap 63 attached to each end, the vertical bar member 17a is fitted between the adjacent upper frame member 14 and horizontal bar member 16, and between the adjacent lower frame member 15 and horizontal bar member 16, and moved horizontally between them. When the vertical bar member 17a reaches the holes 57 and 70, the protrusions 56 and 69 automatically engage with the holes 57 and 70. This makes it easy to install the vertical bar member 17a.

The vertical bar member 17b, with the second caps 63 attached to each end, is also fitted between the adjacent horizontal bar members 16 and moved horizontally between them. When the vertical bar member 17b reaches the hole 70, the protrusion 69 automatically engages with the hole 70. This makes it easy to install the vertical bar member 17b.

[Relationship between seams and ribs]
As shown in FIG. 7A, the joint 76 between the upper frame member 14 and the first end 51 of the vertical bar member 17a appears as a very thin concave groove. The upper frame member 14 has upper ribs 31c, 31d on the edge extending in the longitudinal direction of the upper engagement groove 35b, which is outside the joint 76 in the front-rear direction. The upper ribs 31c, 31d protrude downward from the upper engagement groove 35b toward which the vertical bar member 17a extends. Here, the height dimension H1 from the bottom surface of the upper engagement groove 35b to the tip of the upper ribs 31c, 31d is the same as or larger than the thickness dimension T1 of the locking portion 55. As a result, the joint 76 is in the shadow of the upper ribs 31c, 31d, making it difficult for the user or other observers to see. Specifically, the engaging portion 55 of the first cap 52 tends to be noticeable because it is made of a different material from the upper frame member 14 and the vertical bar member 17a, but the upper ribs 31c, 31d make it less visible to the viewer when viewed from the direction opposite the panel surface.

In addition, because the vertical bar member 17a is biased downward by gravity, a gap is formed in the seam 76, even though it is a very thin recessed groove. The height dimension H1 of the upper ribs 31c and 31d is set to be larger than the height dimension of the seam 76, hiding the seam 76 and making it less visible.

As shown in FIG. 7B, the joints 77, 78 between the support structure 41 (41a, 41b) and the ends 61, 71, 72 are also shown as very thin concave grooves. The support structure 41 has a rib 45 on the edge extending in the longitudinal direction of the engagement groove 44, which is outside the joints in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the rib 45 of the upper support structure 41a protrudes upward toward the direction in which the vertical bar members 17a, 17b extend. The rib 45 of the lower support structure 41b protrudes downward toward the direction in which the vertical bar members 17a, 17b extend. Here, the height dimension H2 of the rib 45 from the bottom surface of the engagement groove 44 is the same as or greater than the thickness dimension T2 of the locking portion 66. As a result, the joints 77, 78 are in the shadow of the rib 45, making them difficult to see by viewers such as users. Specifically, the locking portion 66 of the second cap 63 tends to stand out because it is made of a different material than the horizontal member 16 and the vertical members 17a and 17b, but the rib 45 makes it less visible to the viewer when viewed from the direction opposite the panel surface.

Also, the joints 77 between the upper support structure 41a and the ends 61, 71, 72 hardly have any gaps because the vertical bar members 17a, 17b are biased downward by gravity. The height dimension H2 of the rib 45 is naturally set to be larger than the height dimension of the joints 78, hiding even these minute joints 77 and making them difficult to see.

On the other hand, the vertical bar member 17a is biased downward by gravity at the joints 78 between the lower support structure 41b and the ends 61, 71, 72, so that even though the grooves are extremely thin, gaps are formed. The height dimension H2 of the rib 45 is set to be greater than the height dimension of the joints 77, hiding the joints 78 and making them less visible.

As shown in FIG. 7(c), the seam 79 between the lower frame member 15 and the first end 51 of the vertical bar member 17a appears as a very thin concave groove. The lower frame member 15 has lower ribs 36c, 36d on the edge extending in the longitudinal direction of the lower engagement groove 40b, which is further outboard than the seam 79 in the front-rear direction. The lower ribs 36c, 36d protrude upward from the lower engagement groove 40b, where the vertical bar member 17a extends. Here, the height dimension H1 of the lower ribs 36c, 36d from the bottom surface of the lower engagement groove 40b is the same as or greater than the thickness dimension T1 of the locking portion 55. As a result, the seam 79 is in the shadow of the lower ribs 36c, 36d, making it difficult for the user or other observers to see. Specifically, the locking portion 55 of the first cap 52 tends to stand out because it is made of a different material than the lower frame member 15 and the vertical bar member 17a, but the lower ribs 36c and 36d make it less visible to the viewer when viewed from the direction opposite the panel surface.

In addition, the vertical bar member 17a is biased downward by gravity, so that almost no gap is formed at the seam 79. Therefore, the height dimension H1 of the lower ribs 36c, 36d is naturally set to be larger than the height dimension of the seam 79, hiding even this very small seam 79 and making it difficult to see.

[Relationship between vertical beam members and panel elements]
As shown in FIG. 3, the relationship between the vertical bar members 17a and 17b and the panel element 11 will be described. The first end 51 of the vertical bar member 17a is reliably fixed to the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15 by the first cap 52 without rattling. The ends 61, 71, and 72 of the vertical bar members 17a and 17b are reliably fixed to the support structure 41 of the horizontal bar member 16 without rattling. In this way, when the vertical bar members 17a and 17b are connected to the upper frame member 14, the lower frame member 15, and the horizontal bar member 16, a gap 73 is provided between the vertical bar members 17a and 17b and the surface of the panel element 11, and the vertical bar members 17a and 17b are not in contact with the panel element 11. This prevents the vertical bar members 17a and 17b from contacting the surface of the panel element 11 and causing it to become dirty. After the partition is installed, the protective sheet removably attached to the surface of the panel element 11 can be easily peeled off. In other words, it is possible to prevent the protective sheet from getting caught on the vertical rail members 17a, 17b and remaining thereat at the vertical rail members 17a, 17b.

[Panel component design]
Incidentally, the vertical bar members 17a, 17b are connected to the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15 by engaging the protrusions 56 of the first cap 52 with the holes 57 of the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15, and are connected to the horizontal bar member 16 by engaging the protrusions 69 of the second cap 63 with the holes 70 of the support structure 41. Therefore, the positions of the vertical bar members 17a, 17b can be changed simply by changing the positions of the holes 57 of the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15 and the holes 70 of the support structure 41.

For example, in FIG. 1, the vertical bar members 17 are arranged at equal intervals, and the horizontal bar members 16 are also arranged at equal intervals, so all of the window sections 81 are the same square shape. In contrast, in FIG. 8, the vertical bar members 17 are not spaced at equal intervals, and the second row in the middle of the three rows is narrower than the first and third rows. In other words, the window sections 82 in the first and third rows are approximately square, but the window section 83 in the second row is a vertically long rectangle. The design in FIG. 8 can be realized simply by changing the positions of the holes 57 in the upper frame member 14 and lower frame member 15 and the holes 70 in the support structure section 41 in FIG. 1.

The panel member 3 can also be configured with a lattice of horizontal and vertical members 16 and 17 to form multiple window sections. By placing or omitting the vertical members 17 depending on the location, the window sections can be made in various shapes and sizes.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the panel element 11 in the first row is a horizontally long panel element whose long side (horizontal direction) is the dimension between the vertical frame members 12 and 13 and whose short side (vertical direction) is the dimension of one row. The first row is designed without using vertical bar members 17. The second row uses two vertical bar members 17 and has three window sections. The right and left window sections are blocked by panel elements 11, but the central window section is not blocked by the panel element 11 and is open. The left and right window sections in the second row use panel elements 11 of a size corresponding to the size of each window section. The panel element 11 in the third row, like the first row, is a horizontally long panel element whose long side (horizontal direction) is the dimension between the vertical frame members 12 and 13 and whose short side (vertical direction) is the dimension of one row. The third row is designed like the second row, using two vertical bar members 17 and having three window sections. In this case, the window portion blocked by the panel element 11 is referred to as the first window portion 86, and the through window portion is referred to as the second window portion 87. In the second row, the first window portion 86 and the second window portion 87 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction.

Here, in the first window section 86 in the first row, the panel element 11 is configured with a light-transmitting or light-blocking sheet, for example, consisting of only one support member 22, or two support members 22 without sandwiching a design member 21. In the second row, the left and right first window sections 86 are configured with a sheet in which a design member 21 with pattern A is sandwiched between two support members 22. In the third row, the three first window sections 86 are configured with a sheet in which a design member 21 with pattern B is sandwiched between two support members 22. For the left and right first window sections 86 in the second row, panel elements 11 of a size corresponding to the size of each window section are used.

In the second stage, the left and right windows are first windows 86, and panel elements 11 of approximately the same size as the first windows 86 are arranged. In contrast, the second windows 87 are open and no panel elements 11 are arranged. Therefore, if left as is, the panel elements 11 of the left and right first windows 86 may move along the support groove 43 toward the central second window 87 when vibrations that occur during normal use, such as vibrations when the panel member 3 moves, or vibrations greater than these are applied. Therefore, in the second window 87, movement suppression members 88 are arranged in the support groove 43 of the lower support structure 41b of the cross member 16 located on the upper side and the support groove 43 of the upper support structure 41a located on the lower side.

Specifically, the spacer 46 is disposed in the support groove 43, and the movement suppression member 88 is disposed in the spacer 46. As shown in FIG. 10, the movement suppression member 88 is a straight rod-shaped member having a length corresponding to the lateral dimension of the second window portion 87. Each end of the rod-shaped movement suppression member 88 is close to the edge of the panel element 11 disposed in the first window portion 86 on both the left and right sides of the second window portion 87. Here, the movement suppression member 88 has a rigidity such that it does not deform even when pressed by the adjacent panel element 11. Therefore, even if the panel element 11 disposed in the first window portion 86 on both the left and right sides tries to move in the direction of the second window portion 87, the movement is suppressed by abutting against the end of the movement suppression member 88.

The above-mentioned partitions can provide the following effects:
(1-1) The height from the base end to the tip of the support wall 42 is set higher than the height from the base end to the tip of the rib 45. And there is a large difference between the height of the support wall 42 and the height of the rib 45. In normal use of the partition, the support structure parts 41a, 41b of the horizontal rail member 16 are often viewed from a viewer in a direction facing the panel surface and from diagonally above or below. The horizontal rail member 16 needs a minimum width to support the vertical rail member 17, but the large difference between the height of the support wall 42 and the height of the rib 45 makes the protruding dimension from the support wall 42 to the rib 45 look smaller to the viewer. In other words, the protruding amount of the horizontal rail member 16 from the panel surface looks smaller, and the horizontal rail member 16 looks thinner.

(1-2) The joint between the upper frame member 14 and the end 51 of the vertical bar member 17a is shadowed by the upper ribs 31c, 31d, making it difficult for viewers such as users to see.
In addition, the joints between the support structure 41 (41a, 41b) of the horizontal member 16 and the ends 61, 71, 72 of the vertical members 17a, 17b are also shadowed by the rib 45 and are difficult for viewers such as users to see.

Furthermore, the joint between the lower frame member 15 and the end 51 of the vertical bar member 17a is also shadowed by the lower ribs 36c, 36d, making it difficult for viewers such as users to see.
(1-3) The first cap 52 can be securely attached to the vertical rail members 17a, 17b simply by inserting the insertion portion 54 into the insertion space 53.

(1-4) The first cap 52 is a molded product of an elastic material, and therefore, by utilizing its elasticity, it is fitted closely to the upper engagement groove 35b of the upper frame member 14 and the lower engagement groove 40b of the lower frame member 15. Therefore, the seams between the vertical bar member 17a and the upper engagement groove 35b of the upper frame member 14 and the lower engagement groove 40b of the lower frame member 15 can be made small and inconspicuous. The second cap 63 also utilizes its elasticity to be fitted closely to the engagement groove 44 of the horizontal bar member 16. Therefore, the seams between the vertical bar member 17b and the engagement groove 44 of the horizontal bar member 16 can be made small and inconspicuous.

(1-5) The first cap 52 and the second cap 63 are resin molded products and are easy to manufacture. Furthermore, the vertical bar members 17a, 17b are also metal shaped materials and can be easily manufactured by extrusion molding. And by making the first cap 52 and the second cap 63 resin molded products and the vertical bar members 17a, 17b metal shaped materials, it is possible to configure the first cap 52 and the second cap 63 to have more elasticity than the vertical bar members 17a, 17b.

(1-6) The height dimension H1 from the bottom surface of the upper engagement groove 35b of the upper ribs 31c, 31d is the same as or greater than the thickness dimension T1 of the locking portion 55. As a result, the seam and the locking portion 55 are hidden in the shadow of the upper ribs 31c, 31d, making them difficult for viewers such as the user to see.

The height dimension H2 of the rib 45 from the bottom surface of the engagement groove 44 is the same as or greater than the thickness dimension T2 of the locking portion 66. This makes the seam and the locking portion 66 less visible to viewers, such as the user, because they are in the shadow of the rib 45.

Furthermore, the height dimension H1 from the bottom surface of the lower engagement groove 40b of the lower ribs 36c, 36d is the same as or greater than the thickness dimension T1 of the locking portion 55. As a result, the seam and the locking portion 55 are in the shadow of the lower ribs 36c, 36d, making them difficult for viewers such as the user to see.

(1-7) At the joint 76 between the upper frame member 14 and the first end 51 of the vertical bar member 17a, the height dimension H1 of the upper ribs 31c, 31d is set to be greater than the height dimension of the joint 76, hiding the joint 76 and making it difficult to see when viewed from the direction opposite the panel surface.

In addition, at the joint 77 between the upper support structure 41a and the ends 61, 71, and 72, the height dimension H2 of the rib 45 is set to be greater than the height dimension of the joint 77, hiding the joint 77 and making it difficult to see when viewed from the direction opposite the panel surface.

In addition, at the joint 78 between the lower support structure 41b and the ends 61, 71, and 72, the height dimension H2 of the rib 45 is naturally set to be larger than the height dimension of the joint 78, hiding the joint 78 and making it difficult to see when viewed from the direction opposite the panel surface.

Furthermore, at the joint 79 between the lower frame member 15 and the first end 51 of the vertical bar member 17a, the height dimension H1 of the lower ribs 36c, 36d is naturally set to be larger than the height dimension of the joint 79, hiding the joint 79 and making it difficult to see when viewed from the direction opposite the panel surface.

(1-8) The seams that face the interior of the room and are easily noticeable can be made less visible by the ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, and 45 located on the interior side.
Second Embodiment
As shown in Fig. 11, the partition in the second embodiment is a folding door, and two panel members 91a and 91b are paired together, and the two panel members 91a and 91b are connected via a hinge. The two panel members 91a and 91b that constitute the pair are displaced between a folded state in which they are folded and an extended state in which they are extended like a single plate. As in the first embodiment, each panel member 91a and 91b includes a pair of vertical frame members 92 and 93 (horizontal direction) that are vertical elements, and an upper frame member 94 and a lower frame member 95 that are horizontal elements and form a pair (vertical direction) that are vertical elements. The upper frame member 94 includes an upper runner 101 in the center in the horizontal direction, and the lower frame member 95 includes a lower runner 102 in the center in the horizontal direction. The upper and lower frame members 94 and 95, and the pair of vertical frame members 92, 93 collectively constitute a frame member 96, and one or more panel elements 97 are arranged in the inner region surrounded by the frame member 96. The inner region also includes vertical and horizontal bar members 98 and 99 that form the framework of the frame member and support the panel element 11. Such a partition can be used as a folding door by folding the two panel members 91a, 91b, and can be used as a sliding door when in an extended state.

In the partition of the second embodiment described above, each panel member 91a, 91b is provided with a lattice by vertical and horizontal members 98 and 99, similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, the second embodiment can also obtain the same effect as the first embodiment for each panel member 91a, 91b.

The first and second embodiments can be further modified as follows.
For example, in a partition separating the inside and outside of a room, the ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, 45 located on the outside of the room may be omitted since the seams on the outside of the room are not noticeable. This simplifies the structure of the upper frame member 14, the lower frame member 15, and the horizontal rail member 16. Also, the ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, 45 on the outside and inside of the room may be omitted from the upper frame member 14, the lower frame member 15, and the horizontal rail member 16. Also, the ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, 45 on the inside of the room may be omitted.

The height dimension H1 from the bottom surface of the upper engagement groove 35b of the upper ribs 31c, 31d may be smaller than the thickness dimension T1 of the locking portion 55. The height dimension H2 from the bottom surface of the engagement groove 44 of the rib 45 may be smaller than the thickness dimension T2 of the locking portion 66. Furthermore, the height dimension H1 from the bottom surface of the lower engagement groove 40b of the lower ribs 36c, 36d may be smaller than the thickness dimension T1 of the locking portion 55.

- The heights of the ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, 45 on the exterior side and the ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, 45 on the interior side may be different. For example, the height dimension H1 of the interior side ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, 45 from the bottom surface of the engagement grooves 35b, 44 may be the same as or greater than the thickness dimension of the locking portions 55, 66, and the exterior side ribs may be smaller than the thickness dimension of the locking portions 55, 66.

- The upper ribs 31c, 31d may be provided at a position closer to the panel element 11 than the longitudinally extending edge of the upper engagement groove 35b of the upper frame member 14. The lower ribs 36c, 36d may also be provided at a position closer to the panel element 11 than the longitudinally extending edge of the lower engagement groove 40b of the lower frame member 15. The rib 45 of the support structure 41 (41a, 41b) of the cross rail member 16 may also be provided at a position closer to the panel element 11 than the longitudinally extending edge of the engagement groove 44 of the cross rail member 16.

- The first cap 52 and the second cap 63 may be molded products of a synthetic resin having strength, rather than being molded products of an elastic resin material. Furthermore, the material of the first cap 52 and the second cap 63 is not limited to a resin material, and may be a metal material.

The vertical frame members 12, 13, the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15, as well as the horizontal and vertical frame members 16 and 17 may also be resin molded products.
One or both of the first cap 52 and the second cap 63 may be omitted. In this case, the ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, and 45 make it difficult to see the joint where the upper frame member 14 and the vertical bar member 17a are directly connected, the joint where the vertical bar members 17a and 17b are directly connected to the horizontal bar member 16, and the joint where the vertical bar member 17a and the lower frame member are directly connected.

- Ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, and 45, which act as concealing parts, may not cover the seams to a great extent when viewed from the front or rear facing the panel surface. In other words, ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, and 45 only need to cover and hide the seams to a great extent.

The joints may be made less visible by covering them with a sealing agent made of a resin such as urethane as a concealing portion. In this case, it is preferable that the sealing agent be color-matched to the caps 52, 63, the upper frame member 14, the lower frame member 15, the horizontal bar member 16, and the vertical bar members 17a, 17b. The sealing agent may also be used in combination with the ribs 31c, 31d, 36c, 36d, and 45 as a concealing portion.

- Hidden parts such as ribs may be provided on at least one of the upper frame member 14, the lower frame member 15, the upper support structure part 41a of the cross rail member 16, and the lower support structure part 41b of the cross rail member 16.

The number of horizontal members 16 is determined by the design of the partition, and is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the number of vertical members 17 in each tier separated by the horizontal members 16 is also not particularly limited, and there may be tiers without vertical members 17. Furthermore, the horizontal members 16 may be omitted, and the vertical members 17 may be bridged between the upper frame member 14 and the lower frame member 15.

11...Panel element 12, 13...Vertical frame member 14...Upper frame member 15...Lower frame member 16...Horizontal beam member 17 (17a, 17b)...Vertical beam member 18...Frame member 21...Design member 22...Support member 28...Vertical support groove 29...Vertical spacer 31c, 31d...Upper rib 35...Upper support groove 35a...Upper spacer 36c, 36d...Lower rib 40...Lower support groove 40a...Lower spacer 41 (41a, 41b)...Support structure portion 45...Rib 46...Spacer 52...First cap 53...Insertion space 54...Insertion portion 55...Latching portion 56...Protrusion portion 57...Hole portion 62...Engagement recess 63...Second cap 64...Insertion space 65...Insertion portion 66...Latching portion 69...Protrusion portion 70...Hole portion 73: gap; 81 to 83: window portion; 86: first window portion; 87: second window portion; 88: movement suppressing member

Claims (7)

A partition comprising a frame member having a pair of vertical frame members and a pair of horizontal frame members, and a horizontal member arranged parallel to the horizontal frame members in an inner region of the frame members,
The horizontal member includes a pair of support walls extending in a longitudinal direction of the horizontal member and along a panel surface , the support walls defining a support groove therebetween for supporting a panel element ;
a protrusion protruding from the support wall in the front-rear direction and extending parallel to the support wall in the longitudinal direction;
A partition, wherein the protrusion is formed lower than the support wall. A partition comprising a frame member having a pair of vertical frame members and a pair of horizontal frame members, and a vertical bar member arranged parallel to the vertical frame members in an inner region of the frame member,
The present invention also includes a cross member arranged parallel to the horizontal frame member in the inner region, and at least one of the horizontal frame member and the horizontal frame member is a cross element;
The vertical members are connected to the horizontal elements,
Further, the transverse element includes a concealing portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the transverse element and covering a joint between the transverse element and the vertical bar member ,
Further, the horizontal element includes a pair of support walls that are parallel to the hidden portion and protrude along the panel surface in a direction in which the vertical bar member extends, the support walls forming a support groove therebetween that supports the panel element,
The support wall is formed higher than the hidden portion . The partition according to claim 2 , wherein the concealing portion covers the joint when viewed from a direction opposite to the panel surface. The partition according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the hidden portion is a rib extending in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal element and protruding in the extending direction of the vertical rail member. The partition according to claim 2 , wherein the height dimension of the concealed portion is greater than the height dimension of the joint. the longitudinal members are connected to the transverse elements via caps attached to each end of the longitudinal members;
6. A partition according to claim 2, wherein the joint is defined by the transverse element and the cap. The partition according to claim 2 , wherein the concealed portion is provided on the indoor side.