JP7805746B2 - Wagon and desk system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wagon and desk system.

Conventionally, a wagon has been proposed that includes a wagon body with one side and top open, and a handle disposed on the wagon body and shaped to fit the front, other side, and back of the wagon body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Also proposed is a wagon device that includes a wagon body having an internal storage space that opens to the side, an item placement section on the top surface, casters that can roll on the floor, a wall section extending upward from the edge of the item placement section, and an optional member that is attached to the upper end of the wall section and detachably attached to the outer surface of the wall section, and is capable of holding an object (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-43953 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-65525

When offices and other workplaces adopt a "free address" system where employees are not assigned to specific seats, there tends to be a lack of space around the seats to store personal belongings. However, placing a bag on a desk or floor can reduce work efficiency and detract from the aesthetic appeal of the office. Meanwhile, because seat users are required to carry around necessary belongings, these bags tend to be large. Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a cart that makes it easy to load and unload luggage.

The wagon of the present invention can be stored under a desk top and comprises a first mounting surface that is approximately rectangular in plan view, side surfaces that extend vertically upward along two adjacent sides around the periphery of the first mounting surface, and a second mounting surface that is supported by the side surfaces and is provided vertically above the first mounting surface. In other words, the wagon may have openings between the first and second mounting surfaces, except for the side surfaces.

In this way, the width of the open area on the side of the wagon can be made approximately the same as the diagonal length of the wagon 1 when viewed from above. In other words, parts other than the above-mentioned sides can be made widely open, providing a wagon that is easy to load and unload luggage.

Furthermore, the first loading surface of the wagon may be a rounded rectangle with rounded corners at the vertices in a plan view, and both horizontal ends of the side surface may be rounded along the periphery of the first loading surface and wrap around vertically above the other two adjacent sides of the first loading surface. Because the four corners of the side periphery have curved surfaces, it is less likely to cause injury in the event of contact with a user. Furthermore, if both horizontal ends of the side surface wrap around the opening side of the side periphery of the wagon, the strength of the side surface can be improved.

The second loading surface of the wagon may have the same shape as the first loading surface in a plan view, which brings the center of gravity of the wagon closer to the center of the wagon, improving stability when an external force is applied to move the wagon, for example.

The first and second loading surfaces of the wagon may be rectangular in plan view, the second loading surface having an edge extending vertically upward around its periphery, with the first edge extending along the short side of the second loading surface in plan view being higher than the second edge extending along the long side of the second loading surface. In other words, edges are provided around the loading surface to prevent items from falling. The difference in edge height is designed to encourage the user of the wagon to place their hand on the higher first edge and move the wagon primarily in the direction of the long side. Moving the wagon in the direction of the long side in plan view is more stable than moving it in the direction of the short side in plan view because it is less likely to lose its center of gravity when subjected to an external force.

Furthermore, the first and second loading surfaces of the wagon are rectangular in plan view, and the members that make up the sides are vertically symmetrical and can be installed upside down. In this way, it is possible to provide a wagon that allows you to choose whether the side faces are on the left or right side, depending on the installation direction of the members that make up the side faces.

The desk system may also include a desk with a tabletop and flat leg members supporting the tabletop, and the above-mentioned wagon with casters vertically below the first loading surface. By arranging the flat leg members along the opening side of the wagon, luggage stored in the wagon becomes less visible from outside the desk, improving the appearance and protecting the user's privacy.

The contents of the means for solving the above problems may be combined as much as possible without departing from the objectives and technical concept of the present invention.

This invention provides a wagon that makes it easy to load and unload luggage.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wagon according to an embodiment, seen obliquely from above and in front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wagon as seen obliquely from above and behind. FIG. 3 is a six-view diagram of the wagon. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a desk system including a wagon and a desk. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of how the wagon is used. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a wagon according to a modified example. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a wagon according to another modified example, seen obliquely from above and in front. FIG. 8 is a six-view diagram of a wagon according to another modified example.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Wagon>
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wagon according to an embodiment, seen obliquely from above the front. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the wagon seen obliquely from above the rear. Fig. 3 is six-view diagrams of the wagon. Note that directions are referred to as front, back, top, bottom, left and right as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. That is, Fig. 3(A) is a front view of the wagon, Fig. 3(B) is a right side view of the wagon, Fig. 3(C) is a left side view of the wagon, Fig. 3(D) is a rear view of the wagon, Fig. 3(E) is a plan view of the wagon, and Fig. 3(F) is a bottom view of the wagon.

Wagon 1 is an under-desk storage unit that can be stored under the top of a typical desk. Wagon 1 is roughly rectangular, and in plan view, it is rectangular with the front and back sides corresponding to the short sides and the left and right sides corresponding to the long sides. Wagon 1 also has a first loading surface 11 that corresponds to the lower shelf, side surfaces 12, and a second loading surface 13 that corresponds to the upper shelf.

The first loading surface 11 has a flat top surface that is a shelf portion. In plan view, the first loading surface is generally rectangular, and may be a rounded rectangle as shown in Figures 1 to 3. That is, the illustrated first loading surface 11 is rectangular with rounded corners. Side surfaces 12 extend vertically upward along two adjacent sides of the periphery of the first loading surface 11. Two other adjacent sides of the periphery of the first loading surface 11 have edges 111 that protrude slightly vertically upward along the horizontal periphery of the loading surface 11, preventing items from falling. The bottom surface of the first loading surface 11 is equipped with casters 112, allowing the wagon 1 to easily move across the floor. The side periphery of the first loading surface 11 has a predetermined height, which ensures the strength of the first loading surface 11 and makes the casters 112 less visible from the surrounding area. Additionally, a cushioned plate or mat (not shown) may be placed on the first placement surface 11.

In a plan view, the side surface 12 is a plate-like member bent in an L-shape along two adjacent sides of the first mounting surface 11. In this embodiment, the side surface 12 includes a front side wall surface 121 formed on the front side of the wagon 1 and a right side wall surface 122 formed on the right side of the wagon 1. The first mounting surface 11 is rectangular with rounded corners, and a first curved surface 125 that is curved along the periphery of the first mounting surface 11 is formed at the boundary between the front side wall surface 121 and the right side wall surface 122. Both horizontal ends of the side surface 12 are also curved along the periphery of the first mounting surface 11 and slightly curve vertically upward beyond the other two adjacent sides of the first mounting surface 11. Specifically, a second curved surface 126 that is curved along the periphery of the first loading surface 11 is formed on the left side of the front of the wagon 1, and a first end portion 123 that is flat and has a relatively small area is formed on the left side of the wagon 1. A third curved surface 127 that is curved along the periphery of the first loading surface 11 is formed on the right side of the rear of the wagon 1, and a second end portion 124 that is flat and has a relatively small area is formed on the rear of the wagon 1. A hook 1211 that can be used to hang an item may be connected to the upper part of the front side wall 121. The hook 1211 may be attached to a through-hole 1212 ( FIG. 3D ) formed in the front side wall 121 using, for example, a bolt, or may be detachably attached to the front side wall 121 or the right side wall 122 using magnetic force. The front side wall surface 121 and the right side wall surface 122 may be made of, for example, punched metal, with multiple through holes through which the hooks 1211 can be attached and detached.

The second loading surface 13 is supported by the side surface 12 and is formed vertically above the first loading surface 11. The second loading surface 13 also has a flat shelf portion on its upper surface, and in this embodiment, has the same shape as the first loading surface 11 in a planar view. That is, the second loading surface 13 also has a rectangular shape with rounded corners in a planar view. The side periphery of the second loading surface 13 has a predetermined height to ensure the strength of the second loading surface 13 and has edges that protrude vertically upward to prevent items placed on it from falling. The edges of the second loading surface 13 include a front edge 131 formed on the front side of the wagon 1, side edges 133 formed on the left and right sides of the wagon 1, and a rear edge 135 formed on the rear side of the wagon 1. Here, the front edge 131 and the rear edge 135 are higher than the center of the side edge 133. The side edge 133 includes an inclined portion 132 at the front of its horizontal end, the height of which increases from the rear to the front. Similarly, the side edge 133 includes an inclined portion 134 at the rear of its horizontal end, the height of which increases from the front to the rear. The four corners of the second mounting surface 13 in a plan view are rounded with the same radius as the first mounting surface 11, and the front edge 131, the side edge 133, and the rear edge 135 are connected by curved corners 136. The second mounting surface 13 may also be covered with a board or mat (not shown), similar to the first mounting surface 11. When the wagon 1 is used as a side desk, the second mounting surface 13 may be covered with the same board as the desk top. In this case, the top surface of the board may be flush with the side edge 133, for example.

<Desk system>
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a desk system including a wagon and a desk. The desk system 10 includes the wagon 1 and desk 2 described above. The desk 2 is, for example, a typical office desk, with the top 21 approximately 700 mm to 720 mm above the floor. The legs 22 supporting the top 21 are flat. By aligning the legs 22 along the left side of the wagon 1 and storing it under the desk 2, the items stored in the wagon 1 are less likely to be seen from outside the desk 2. This improves the appearance of the office and protects the user's privacy. Since valuables may be included in the items stored in the wagon 1, it is preferable to be able to conceal the items stored in the wagon 1 from a security standpoint. The wagon 1 does not necessarily need to be combined with the desk 2 shown in FIG. 4; simply aligning the open side of the wagon 1 against a wall or pillar in the office can also help prevent items from being seen.

Figure 5 shows an example of how a cart is used. The cart 1 is open on all sides except for the left side and back, which correspond to the aforementioned side surface 12. The width of the open area is approximately the same as the diagonal length of the cart 1 in a plan view. Users in offices with a free address system tend to carry large bags because they carry around necessary items. The cart 1's lower level (first storage surface 11) is easier to access than designs with openings only on the sides or back, for example. In the example of Figure 5, a file 3 and a bag 4 are placed on the lower level. Furthermore, especially when the cart 1 is pulled out from under a desk, the upper level (second storage surface 13) can be used as a side desk. In the example of Figure 5, a personal computer 6 is placed on the second storage surface 13. The hook 1211 can be used to hang items such as a folding umbrella 5 or a shopping bag (not shown). Using such a cart 1 can improve work efficiency compared to placing items on a desk or floor.

Furthermore, the first and second loading surfaces 11 and 13 of the wagon 1 have the same shape in a plan view, and the side surfaces 12 are arranged along two adjacent sides of the periphery of the rectangular wagon 1 in a plan view. Therefore, the center of gravity of the wagon 1 is located in the center of the wagon, rather than in a case where the side surfaces are biased to one side, for example, left or right, improving stability when subjected to external forces while moving the wagon 1. Furthermore, because luggage and other stored items can be placed upright against the two walls (front side wall 121 and right side wall 122) that are connected almost perpendicularly, even bags and other items made of materials that are relatively prone to deformation can be stored without losing their shape.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the edges of the second loading surface 13, including the front edge 131 and back edge 135 (also referred to as the "first edge") extending along the short side in a plan view, are higher than the side edge 133 (also referred to as the "second edge") extending along the long side in a plan view. In other words, the design encourages the user of the wagon 1 to place their hands on the higher first edge and move the wagon 1 primarily in the forward-backward direction. Moving the wagon 1 forward and backward along the long side in a plan view is more stable than moving the wagon 1 left and right along the short side in a plan view, since it is less likely to lose balance of the center of gravity when subjected to an external force. Therefore, the difference in height of the edges of the second loading surface 13 described above helps prevent the wagon 1 from tipping over when moved.

The wagon 1 also has curved surfaces at the four corners of its side periphery. This means that it is less likely to cause injury to users or others if they come into contact with it. Furthermore, both horizontal ends of the side 12 each curve slightly inward toward the opening of the wagon 1's side periphery. This improves the strength of the side 12.

<Modification 1>
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a wagon according to a modified example. Note that components identical to those in the above-described embodiment are designated by corresponding reference numerals and will not be described again. In the wagon 1 shown in FIG. 6, the first mounting surface 11, the side surface 12, and the second mounting surface 13 are constructed of different materials. The first mounting surface 11, the side surface 12, and the second mounting surface 13 can be connected, for example, with bolts (not shown). The side surface 12 is vertically symmetrical. Therefore, the side surface 12 can be assembled with the top and bottom facing inversely. By attaching the side surface 12 with the top and bottom facing inversely, the side surface 12 can be provided on the front and left side of the wagon 1. For example, when the wagon 1 is used in combination with a desk 2 as shown in FIG. 4, the open right side surface can be placed next to the left side of the other leg 22 (not shown). The vertically symmetrical side surface 12 thus allows for a product that can be used on both the left and right sides. Furthermore, through holes 1212 for connecting hooks 1211 may be provided at the upper and lower parts of the front side wall surface 121. Furthermore, cushioning materials 14, which are plates or mats, may be placed on the first placing surface 11 and the second placing surface 13. Furthermore, if the first placing surface 11 and the second placing surface 13 have the same shape in a plan view, the cushioning materials 14 placed on both surfaces may be the same. Furthermore, the first placing surface 11 and the second placing surface 13 may have the same shape, and the casters 112 may be detachable.

<Modification 2>
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a wagon according to another modified example, seen obliquely from above and in front. Fig. 8 is a six-view diagram of the wagon according to another modified example. Fig. 8(A) is a front view of the wagon, Fig. 8(B) is a right side view of the wagon, Fig. 8(C) is a left side view of the wagon, Fig. 8(D) is a rear view of the wagon, Fig. 8(E) is a plan view of the wagon, and Fig. 8(F) is a bottom view of the wagon. Note that the same members as those in the above-described embodiment and modified example 1 are designated by corresponding reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The second loading surface 13 in this modified example is roughly pentagonal, with the opening side missing from the side periphery of the wagon 1. Specifically, the width of the second loading surface 13 on the rear side is shorter than the width on the front side, and the left edge of the rear side of the second loading surface 13 is located to the right of the left edge of the rear side of the first loading surface 11. Furthermore, the left side of the second loading surface 13 is curved from the rear of the inclined portion 132 toward the left edge of the rear side. This allows for a larger area for the opening on the side periphery of the wagon 1, making it easier to load and unload items on the lower level. The width of the second end 124 of the side surface 12 may be longer than in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3.

<Others>
The above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined as far as possible without departing from the scope and technical concept of the present invention. The second loading surface 13 may be fixed not to the upper end of the side surface 12 but toward the center in the vertical direction. The wagon 1 may also have three or more loading surfaces (shelves).

1: Wagon 11: First mounting surface 111: Edge portion 112: Caster 12: Side surface 121: Front side wall surface 1211: Hook 1212: Through hole 122: Right side wall surface 123: First end portion 124: Second end portions 125-127: Curved surface 13: Second mounting surface 131: Front side edge portion (first edge portion)
132, 134: Inclined portions 133: Side edge portions (second edge portions)
135: rear edge (first edge)
136: Corner 2: Desk 21: Top 22: Leg 10: Desk system

Claims (5)

A wagon that can be stored under a desk top,
a first placement surface that is substantially rectangular in plan view;
side surfaces extending vertically upward along two adjacent sides of the periphery of the first mounting surface;
a second mounting surface supported by the side surface and provided vertically above the first mounting surface;
Equipped with
the second mounting surface has the same shape as the first mounting surface in a plan view,
The portion between the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface is open except for the side surface.
wagon. the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface are rectangular in plan view,
the second mounting surface has an edge portion extending vertically upward around its periphery,
The wagon of claim 1, wherein the height of a first edge portion extending on a short side of the second loading surface in a plan view is higher than the height of a second edge portion extending on a long side of the second loading surface. the first placement surface is a rounded rectangle with rounded corners in a plan view,
The wagon according to claim 1 or 2, wherein both horizontal end portions of the side surfaces are rounded along the periphery of the first loading surface and curve vertically upwardly toward the other two adjacent sides of the first loading surface. the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface are rectangular in plan view,
The wagon according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the members constituting the side surfaces are vertically symmetrical and can be mounted with the top and bottom directions reversed. a desk including a top plate and flat leg members that support the top plate;
The wagon according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , further comprising casters provided on a vertically lower side of the first placement surface;
A desk system comprising: