JP7740938B2 - Item support members and fixtures - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an item support member and fixture that can support books and other items in two ways.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes a box that can be placed on a shelf and can contain books and the like. This box has an open lid when viewed from the front, a lid that can be opened and closed to cover the opening, and a support member attached to the bottom end of the lid. With this box, by supporting the bottom end of a book on the support member, the book can be placed with its wide side, such as its cover, facing forward, revealing the cover. Furthermore, when the book is placed with its wide side aligned with the outer side, it can be placed with its narrow side, such as its spine, facing forward, revealing the spine. This box can support items such as books in two different ways.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-065970

The box described in Patent Document 1 is shaped like a box overall, and when a book is placed on the lid, the internal space of the box placed on the shelf may not be utilized and may become dead space. Furthermore, the box described in Patent Document 1 is designed not to be used from the rear side in the depth direction, and can only be set to one orientation when the book's cover is exposed. Furthermore, the box described in Patent Document 1 is limited to use as a bookshelf or similar storage item, and may occupy an excessive amount of space on the shelf, limiting the shelf's storage space.

The present invention aims to provide an item support member and fixture that can secure storage space above the shelf and support items such as books in two ways.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an item support member arranged on a flat surface of a fixture, wherein at least one item support member is formed in the width direction, the item support member comprising: a first support member arranged along the width direction of the fixture; a second support member arranged along the width direction of the fixture and displaced in the width and depth directions relative to the first support member; and a third support member arranged along the depth direction between the other width end side of the first support member and one width end side of the second support member; the item support member is characterized in that a first storage space formed by the first support member and the third support member in an L-shape in plan view is open in a first direction along the depth direction, and a second storage space formed by the second support member and the third support member in an L-shape in plan view is open in a second direction along the depth direction opposite to the first direction.

According to the present invention, when the wide surface of the installation object is supported in an upright position on the front side of the second support section, other items can be placed in the second storage space on the opposite side of the second support section from the installation object so that they are visible. When the shelf is long in the depth direction, the item support section can reverse the functions of the first and second support sections to accommodate installation of the installation object behind the fixture. The item support section can support and store the installation object in both depth directions on the planar member.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the third support portion may connect the other widthwise end side of the first support portion and one widthwise end side of the second support portion along the depth direction.

According to the present invention, the first support portion, second support portion, and third support portion are connected together, allowing them to be easily formed using a single linear member.

The present invention also includes a fourth support portion extending from one end of the first support portion in the width direction toward the second direction, or from the other end of the second support portion in the width direction toward the first direction, and the fourth support portion may cooperate with the first support portion and the third support portion to form at least one of a first storage space that is U-shaped in plan view and opens concavely in the depth direction when viewed in the first direction, and a second storage space that is U-shaped in plan view and opens concavely in the depth direction when viewed in the second direction when viewed in the second direction.

According to the present invention, the first and second storage spaces are formed in a U-shape, so that the wide surface of the object to be installed in the first and second storage spaces can be supported in an upright position with the object leaning against the extension portion or the third support portion, allowing the object to be installed stably.

The present invention may also include a standing means formed by a linear member on at least one of the first support section, the third support section, and the second support section, placed on a flat-surface forming member provided on the fixture, and supporting the article support section from below.

According to the present invention, the item support section can stand independently on the surface of the fixture using the erection means, ensuring sufficient stability of the object to be installed even when the item support section is constructed from a linear member. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the weight of the item support member itself can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the present invention, at least one of the widthwise end side of the first support portion and the widthwise other end side of the second support portion may function as a connected portion that is connected to a side-forming member of the fixture.

According to the present invention, by connecting the connectable portion to the side-forming member, the item support member can be stably fixed. Furthermore, by connecting the connectable portion to the side-forming member, the side-forming member can be used to form a first storage space and a second storage space that are U-shaped in plan view. According to the present invention, an object to be installed can be stored in an upright position leaning against the side-forming member in the first storage space, and an object to be installed can be stored in an upright position leaning against the side-forming member in the second storage space.

The present invention also includes the item support member, a plane forming member that forms a plane, and a side forming member that is provided on the upper surface of the plane forming member in the vertical direction, and the item support member may be supported by at least one of the plane forming member or the side forming member.

According to the present invention, the item support members form a first storage space and a second storage space into which objects can be placed from the front or rear of the fixture, and the objects can be placed in two different ways.

This invention allows for storage space above the shelves to be secured and allows for storage items such as books to be supported in two ways.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the fixtures. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of an item support member provided on a fixture. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of an item support section. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of an article support section provided with an extension section. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of an article support section provided with an L-shaped extension section. FIG. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the configuration of an article support section provided with erection means. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the fixture in use. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a fixture according to a modified example. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of an item support member according to a modified example.

The configuration of an item support member and fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following, the side from which stored items are taken in and out of the fixture when it is in use will be referred to as the front. The direction along the left-right direction when viewing the fixture from the front will also be referred to as the width direction, and the direction along the front-to-back direction will also be referred to as the depth direction. When viewing the fixture from the front, the left side in the left-to-right direction will be referred to as one width side, and the left side will be referred to as the other width side.

As shown in Figure 1, the fixture 1 comprises a plurality of shelves 2 forming a plane, a pair of side panels 3 provided at the ends of each shelf on one widthwise side and the other widthwise side, a bottom panel 4 connecting the lower ends of the pair of side panels, and an item support member 10 provided on the upper surface of at least one shelf 2. Two or more fixtures 1 may be arranged along the widthwise direction. In this case, the side panel 3 between adjacent fixtures 1 may be a single shared panel.

The bottom plate 4 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular plate. The bottom plate 4 is arranged in the planar direction. The longitudinal direction of the bottom plate 4 is arranged in the width direction. The lateral direction of the bottom plate 4 is arranged in the front-to-rear direction. A pair of side plates 3 are arranged facing each other on both ends of the width direction of the bottom plate 4. The side plates 3 are formed in the shape of a rectangular plate. The longitudinal direction of the side plates 3 is arranged in the up-down direction. The lateral direction of the side plates 3 is arranged in the front-to-rear direction. A plurality of shelf plates 2 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the up-down direction between the pair of side plates 3.

The shelf boards 2 are formed in the shape of rectangular plates. The longitudinal direction of the shelf boards 2 is aligned with the width direction. The lateral direction of the shelf boards 2 is aligned with the front-to-rear direction. An item storage space S is formed above the uppermost shelf board 2. The bottom of the item storage space S is formed, for example, by a plane forming member 2A, which is the upper surface of the shelf board 2. Both sides of the item storage space S in the width direction are formed by side forming members 3A, 3B, which are the opposing surfaces of a pair of side panels 3. The side forming member 3A is provided on the upper surface of the plane forming member 2A in the vertical direction. The item support member 10 is supported by at least one of the plane forming member 2A or the side forming member 3A.

The item support member 10 is positioned above and spaced apart on the flat surface forming member 2A, which is the flat surface of the fixture 1. The item support member 10 may also be positioned on the flat surface forming member 2A on another shelf 2. The item support member 10 is formed by bending a linear member. The linear member is, for example, a rod-shaped member made of metal. In addition to metal, the linear member may also be made of wood, plastic, or a composite material.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the item support member 10 has at least one item support section 11 arranged along the width direction. The item support section 11 includes, for example, a first support section 12 and a second support section 13 arranged along the width direction. The first support section 12 and the second support section 13 are formed, for example, in the shape of a rod with a circular cross section. The first support section 12 and the second support section 13 may have other cross-sectional shapes, such as a plate shape. The first support section 12 and the second support section 13 may also be formed from a plate-like body. In this case, they may be placed on the plane forming member 2A. The first support section 12 and the second support section 13 are formed, for example, from a metal material. The first support section 12 and the second support section 13 may also be formed from other materials.

The first support portion 12 and the second support portion 13 are arranged parallel to each other in the width direction. The second support portion 13 is arranged with a position offset in the width direction and depth direction relative to the first support portion 12. For example, the second support portion 13 is arranged with a position offset toward the other widthwise end of the first support portion 12 along the width direction. The second support portion 13 is arranged with a position offset in the depth direction relative to the first support portion 12 in a second direction from the rear side to the front side.

The first support portion 12 and the second support portion 13 are connected by a third support portion 14 arranged along the depth direction. The third support portion 14 is formed from the same material as the first support portion 12 and the second support portion 13. The third support portion 14 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rod with a circular cross section. The third support portion 14 may have a cross section formed in another shape, such as a plate. The third support portion 14 may also be formed from a plate-like body. In this case, it may be placed on the plane forming member 2A. The third support portion 14 connects the other widthwise end 12B of the first support portion 12 and the one widthwise end 13A of the second support portion 13 along the depth direction. A pair of first and second abutment portions 20 and 21 formed along the width direction are provided on the plane forming member 2A.

For example, the first contact portion 20 is formed to be shifted forward compared to the first support portion 12 in a plan view. The first contact portion 20 is formed as a concave groove along the width direction. The first contact portion 20 may also be formed as a convex protrusion along the width direction. The first contact portion 20 does not necessarily extend continuously along the width direction, but may be provided intermittently along the width direction. One or more first contact portions 20 may be formed in parallel. This may make it possible to change the angle of the upright state when the installation object B is installed. The first contact portion 20 may also be formed from a sheet-like member such as a rubber sheet that has frictional resistance on its surface. When an installation object such as a book is installed on the first support portion 12 with the cover side facing forward and the back cover supported by the first support portion 12, the first contact portion 20 engages the bottom edge of the book to prevent the book from slipping and falling over on the plane-forming member 2A.

For example, the second abutment portion 21 is formed at a position shifted rearward compared to the second support portion 13 in a plan view. The second abutment portion 21 is formed as a concave groove along the width direction. The second abutment portion 21 does not necessarily extend continuously along the width direction, but may be provided intermittently along the width direction. One or more second abutment portions 21 may be formed in parallel. This may make it possible to change the angle of the upright state when the installation object B is installed. The second abutment portion 21 may also be formed from a sheet-like member having frictional resistance on its surface, such as a rubber sheet. When an installation object such as a book is installed on the second support portion 13 with the cover side facing forward and the back cover supported by the second support portion 13, the second abutment portion 21 engages the bottom edge of the book to prevent the book from slipping and falling over on the plane-forming member 2A. The second abutment portion 21 may also be formed as a convex protrusion along the width direction.

The function of the item support unit 11 is explained below.

As shown in FIG. 3, the item support section 11 has a first storage space S1 formed by the first support section 12 and the third support section 14 in an L-shape in plan view, which opens in a first direction, for example, from the front to the rear along the depth direction. Furthermore, the item support section 11 has a second storage space S2 formed by the second support section 13 and the third support section 14 in an L-shape in plan view, which opens in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the depth direction.

The first support section 12 and the second support section 13 cooperate with the third support section 14 to form L-shaped first and second storage spaces S1 and S2 that open in different depth directions. The item support section 11 allows for the placement of an object B, such as a book, in an upright position with its cover facing forward on the front side of the second support section 13, while allowing other items to be placed in the second storage space S2 behind the second support section 13 so that they are visible. While the above example illustrates the first support section 12, second support section 13, and third support section being connected, the first support section 12, second support section 13, and third support section may also be arranged separately from one another.

When the shelf board 2 is long in the depth direction and the book to be installed on the rear side of the fixture 1 is installed, the item support section 11 can reverse the functions of the first support section 12 and the second support section 13. With the item support section 11, when the book or other item to be installed on the rear side of the first support section 12 is supported in an upright position with its cover facing forward, other items can be placed in the first storage space S1 in front of the first support section 12 so that they are visible. The item support section 11 can support and store the item to be installed on the plane-forming member 2A in both depth directions.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first support portion 12 may be provided with a fourth support portion 30 by a first extension portion 15 extending from one widthwise end 12A toward the second direction. The fourth support portion 30 is formed from the same material as the first support portion 12. The fourth support portion 30 cooperates with the first support portion 12 and the third support portion 14 to form a U-shape in plan view. When viewed in the first direction, the fourth support portion 30 cooperates with the first support portion 12 and the third support portion 14 to form a first storage space S1 that opens concavely in the depth direction.

The second support section 13 may also be provided with a fourth support section 30 by a second extension section 16 extending from the other widthwise end 13B side toward the first direction. The fourth support section 30 is made of the same material as the second support section 13. The fourth support section 30 cooperates with the second support section 13 and the third support section 14 to form a U-shape in plan view. When viewed in the second direction, the fourth support section 30 cooperates with the second support section 13 and the third support section 14 to form a second storage space S2 that is concave and opens in the depth direction. In other words, the item support section 11 is equipped with the fourth support section 30, and at least one of the first storage space S1 and the second storage space S2 is formed.

The item support section 11 allows the first storage space S1 and the second storage space S2 to have a U-shape in plan view. This allows the installation object B, which is a book, to be stored in an upright position with the cover or back cover leaning against the fourth support section 30 when storing the installation object B in the first storage space S1, thereby stably supporting the installation object B. The provision of the fourth support section 30 in the first storage space S1 prevents the installation object B from tipping over in the width direction opposite the third support section 14.

When storing an installation object B in the second storage space S2, the book installation object B can be stored in an upright position with the cover or back cover leaning against the second extension portion 16, stabilizing the support state of the installation object B. By providing the second extension portion 16 in the second storage space S2, the installation object B is prevented from tipping over in the width direction opposite the third support portion 14.

As shown in FIG. 5, the fourth support section 30 may be provided with a bent section 15D that is bent in the width direction in plan view, and may be formed in an L-shape. The bent section 15D is connected to the side surface forming member 3B formed by the surface on the other width direction side of the side panel 3. The bent section 15D allows the item support section 11 to be stably fixed to the side surface forming member 3A.

The fourth support section 30 may be formed in an L-shape with a bent section 16D that is bent in the width direction when viewed from above. The bent section 16D is connected to a side surface forming member 3A formed by the surface on one side of the side panel 3 in the width direction. The bent section 16D allows the item support section 11 to be stably fixed to the side surface forming member 3A.

As shown in FIG. 6, the third support section 14 is provided with a standing means 17 that is placed on the plane-forming member 2A and supports the item support section 11 from below. The standing means 17 is formed from a linear member that is also used for the item support section 11. The standing means 17 may be formed from a material different from that used for the item support section 11. Furthermore, when the item support section 11 is formed from a plate-like body and is placed on the plane-forming member 2A, the item support section 11 itself may function as the standing means 17. The standing means 17 is formed, for example, from a metal material. The upper end of the standing means 17 is welded, for example, to the lower part of the third support section 14. For example, two standing means 17 are arranged along the front-to-rear direction. The standing means 17 may be formed on at least one of the first support section, the third support section, and the second support section. The erection means 17 positions the item support section 11 above and away from the plane-forming member 2A, allowing it to stand on its own.

The provision of the erection means 17 allows the item support section 11, which is constructed using linear members, to stand on its own on the flat surface of the fixture 1, ensuring sufficient stability. Therefore, the provision of the erection means 17 allows the entire item support member 10 to be made lighter.

In the item support member 10, at least one of the widthwise end 12A of the first support portion 12 and the other widthwise end 13B of the second support portion 13 functions as a connected portion C that is connected to the side surface forming members 3A, 3B of the fixture 1 (see Figures 2 and 3). The connected portion C is connected to the side panel 3, for example, by inserting the widthwise end 12A of the first support portion 12 into a hole (not shown) formed on the side surface forming member 3B. The connected portion C is also connected to the side panel 3, for example, by inserting the widthwise end 13B of the second support portion 13 into a hole (not shown) formed on the side surface forming member 3A.

By connecting the connecting portion C to the side forming members 3A and 3B, the item support member 10 can be stably fixed. Furthermore, by connecting the connecting portion C to the side forming members 3A and 3B, the side forming members 3A and 3B can be used to form a first storage space S1 and a second storage space S2 that are U-shaped in plan view. This allows the installation object B to be stored in an upright position leaning against the side forming member 3B in the first storage space S1, and the installation object B to be stored in an upright position leaning against the side forming member 3A in the second storage space S2. Furthermore, by firmly connecting the connecting portion C to the side forming members 3A and 3B, the item support member 10 is prevented from rotating, allowing for stable support of the item support member 10. The item support member 10 is more firmly supported relative to the fixture 1 because the connecting portion C is laterally connected to the side forming members 3A and 3B and is supported downward by the erection means 17.

As shown in Figure 7, the fixture 1 allows an object B, such as a book, to be placed upright on the first support section 12 or second support section 13 of the item support member 10 with its wide side facing forward or backward. The plane-forming member 2A is provided with a first abutment section 20 and a second abutment section 21, allowing the lower end of the object B to be engaged and placed along the first abutment section 20 and the second abutment section 21. When the object B is placed upright with its wide side facing forward or backward, the object B is prevented from slipping and falling over on the plane-forming member 2A.

With the fixture 1, the first storage space S1 and the second storage space S2 are formed in the item support member 10, allowing the installation object B to be stored in an upright position with its narrow side facing forward or backward. With the fixture 1, even when the installation object B is placed upright against the first support part 12 or the second support part 13, the installation object B stored in the first storage space S1 and the second storage space S2 can be seen.

[Modification]
The following describes modified examples of the fixture 1. In the following description, the same names and symbols are used for the same configurations as those in the above embodiment, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a fixture 1A according to a modified example may be configured so that its rear side is positioned along a wall W and the installation object B is placed in and removed from the front side. According to fixture 1, the wide surface of installation object B is supported by second support portion 13, and its lower end is engaged with first abutment portion 20. According to fixture 1, installation object B is stored in first storage space S1, which opens to the front.

In addition, the components in the above embodiments may be replaced with well-known components as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the above-mentioned modifications may be combined or substituted as appropriate.

1 Fixtures, 1A Fixtures, 2A Plane forming member, 3A Side forming member, 3B Side forming member, 10 Article supporting member, 11 Article supporting part, 12 First supporting part, 12A One end in the width direction, 12B Other end in the width direction, 13 Second support part, 13A One end in the width direction, 13B Other end in the width direction, 14 Third support part, 17 Standing means, 30 Fourth support part, C connected part, S1 first accommodation space, S2 second accommodation space

Claims (2)

An article support member disposed on a flat surface of a fixture,
A first support portion arranged along the width direction of the fixture;
A second support portion disposed along the width direction of the fixture and shifted in position in the width direction and depth direction relative to the first support portion;
a third support portion disposed along the depth direction between the other widthwise end side of the first support portion and the one widthwise end side of the second support portion;
At least one article support section having the above structure is formed in the width direction,
The article support section has a first storage space formed by the first support section and the third support section in an L-shape in plan view, the first storage space being open in a first direction along the depth direction, and a second storage space formed by the second support section and the third support section in an L-shape in plan view being open in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the depth direction,
a first contact portion is formed in a portion of the plane that is located on the opposite side of the second support portion with respect to the first support portion in the depth direction, and a lower end portion of an installation object that is supported by the first support portion in an upright state is engaged with the first contact portion;
An item support member in which a second abutment portion is formed in the part of the plane that is located on the opposite side of the first support portion from the second support portion in the depth direction, and which engages with the lower end of an object to be installed that is supported by the second support portion in an upright state. The article support member of claim 1 ;
a plane forming member that forms a plane;
a side surface forming member provided along the up-down direction on the upper surface of the flat surface forming member,
The article support member is supported by at least one of the flat surface forming member or the side surface forming member.