JP7844121B2 - Room structure - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a room structure in which modular furniture is installed.

Conventionally, large modular furniture units that are placed on the floors that constitute the building structure are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
The modular furniture described in Patent Document 1 comprises a ceiling unit, a plurality of column units and a plurality of wall units attached in an upright position to the lower surface of the ceiling unit, and a lifting mechanism that allows the unit to move up and down between the floor of the building and the ceiling unit.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-195486

In modular furniture, the space below and above the floor unit (or ceiling unit in the case of Patent Document 1) is accessible to people for entry and residence. Therefore, ease of access to the lower and upper spaces is required. In particular, access to the lower space is difficult and inconvenient because it requires entering and exiting through the spaces supporting the floor unit.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its objective is to improve the usability of modular furniture.

The invention described in claim 1 is a room structure in which a room space RS is formed by at least a floor 2 and a plurality of walls 3 to 5, as shown in Figures 16 to 27, 30 to 33 , etc., and a unit furniture 10 is installed on the floor 2.
The aforementioned modular furniture 10 comprises a floor unit 11 positioned above a portion of the floor 2, and a plurality of leg units 12, 13 that support the floor unit 11, with a lower space 10a formed between the floor unit 11 and the floor 2.
At least one of the multiple walls 3 to 5, wall 4, has an opening (entry/exit opening 7) that connects the room space RS with its outside (space S1).
The lower space 10a is located adjacent to the first opening 7 .
The multiple leg units 12, 13 are,
A pair of leg units 12 and 13 on the wall 4 side are arranged at intervals from each other along the side of the unit furniture 10 that is adjacent to and facing one of the walls 4,
The unit furniture 10 includes a pair of leg units 12, 12 that are not on the wall 4 side, and are spaced apart from each other along the side of the unit furniture 10 that is not adjacent to or facing any of the multiple walls 4,
The space between the pair of leg units 12 and 13 on the wall 4 side is designated as a first entrance/exit space 10c, and this first entrance/exit space 10c is continuous with the opening 7 and, together with the opening 7, connects the room space RS with its exterior S1.
The space between the pair of leg units 12, 12 that is not on the wall 4 side is designated as a second entrance/exit space 10c, and this second entrance/exit space 10c is characterized in that it connects the lower space 10a with the outside of the lower space 10a in the room space RS .

According to the invention described in claim 1, an opening 7 is formed in wall 4 that connects the room space RS to its exterior S1, and the lower space 10a is located adjacent to the opening 7. Therefore, in addition to the space between the leg units that does not face walls 3-5, the lower space 10a can also be accessed from the space facing wall 4 where the opening 7 is provided. Thus, by providing the opening 7 in walls 3-5, the number of entrances to the lower space 10a can be increased, making it easier to enter and exit the lower space 10a and improving usability.

The invention described in claim 2 is, for example, as shown in Figure 18, in the room structure described in claim 1,
The vertical dimensions of the opening 7 and the first entrance/exit space 10c are set to be approximately equal to the ceiling height of the lower space 10a.
The floor unit 11 is characterized in that it is in contact with the walls 3 to 5 in an unfixed state via vibration suppression means 19c.

According to the invention described in claim 2, the vertical dimension of the opening 7 is set to be approximately equal to the ceiling height of the lower space 10a, thus improving the usability of the opening 7 compared to the case where the vertical dimension of the opening 7 is less than the ceiling height of the lower space 10a. Furthermore, the floor unit 11 is not exposed through the opening 7 (i.e., the end face of the floor unit 11 is not visible when viewing the room space RS side from the outside S1 side through the opening 7), resulting in a better appearance. Moreover, since the entire portion of the floor unit 11, including not only the portion facing the wall without the opening 7 but also the portion facing the wall with the opening 7, is in non-fixed contact with the walls 3-5 via the vibration suppression means 19c, the sense of unity between the floor unit 11 and the walls 3-5 can be enhanced.

The invention described in claim 3 is, for example, as shown in Figures 19 to 24, 26 to 27, etc., in the room structure described in claim 1 or claim 2,
The aforementioned floor 2 includes a first floor 2a and a second floor 2b that is higher than the first floor 2a.
The floor unit 11 is characterized by being supported by the leg units 12 and 13 installed on the first floor 2a and the leg units 12 and 13 installed on the second floor 2b.

According to the invention described in claim 3, the floor unit 11 is supported by leg units 12 and 13 installed on the first floor 2a and leg units 12 and 13 installed on the second floor 2b, which is higher than the first floor 2a. Therefore, in addition to the space between the leg units installed on the first floor 2a, the lower space 10a between the floor unit 11 and the floor 2 can be accessed from the space between the leg units installed on the second floor 2b. Thus, by arranging the floor unit 11 across floors 2a and 2b of different heights, the number of entrances to the lower space 10a can be increased, making it easier to access and use the lower space 10a.

The invention described in claim 4 is, for example, as shown in Figure 25, in the room structure described in claim 1 or claim 2,
The aforementioned floor 2 includes a first floor 2a and a second floor 2b that is higher than the first floor 2a.
A handrail 9 is installed on the second floor 2b.
The floor unit 11 is characterized in that it is supported by the leg unit 12 and the handrail 9, which are installed on the first floor 2a.

According to the invention described in claim 4, the floor unit 11 is supported by a leg unit 12 installed on the first floor 2a and a handrail 9 installed on the second floor 2b, which is higher than the first floor 2a. Therefore, if an opening is provided in the handrail 9 (for example, if the handrail 9 is a railing-type handrail), access to the lower space 10a between the floor unit 11 and the floor 2 is possible not only through the space between the leg units installed on the first floor 2a, but also through the opening in the handrail 9. Thus, by arranging the floor unit 11 across floors 2a and 2b of different heights, the number of entrances to the lower space 10a can be increased, making it easier to access and use the lower space 10a.

The invention described in claim 5 is, for example , as shown in Figures 30 to 33, in the room structure described in any one of claims 1 to 4,
The aforementioned room space RS is equipped with a ceiling 6.
The ceiling 6 side of the floor unit 11 is an upper space 10b.
The floor unit 11 is characterized by having an access opening 113 that connects the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b .

According to the invention described in claim 5, the lower space 10a can be accessed not only from the first opening 7 and the second opening 10c, but also from the entrance/exit 113. Therefore, the number of entrances and exits to the lower space 10a is further increased, making it easier to enter and exit the lower space 10a and improving usability.

According to this invention, the usability of modular furniture can be improved.

This is a perspective view showing modular furniture. This is a perspective view showing modular furniture placed in a room. This is a front view showing a modular furniture unit. This is a right-side view showing a modular furniture unit. This is a plan view showing modular furniture. This is a bottom view showing a modular furniture unit. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 3. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 3. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in Figure 3. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in Figure 3. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E in Figure 4. This is a cross-sectional view along the line F-F in Figure 4. This figure shows an example of how to use a handrail unit. This is an exploded perspective view showing modular furniture (floor unit and support unit only). This diagram illustrates the structure of the contact points between the leg unit, the top plate, and the floor. Configuration Example 1: This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a building having a room equipped with modular furniture. Configuration Example 1: This is a perspective view showing an example of a room equipped with modular furniture. Configuration Example 1: This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a room equipped with modular furniture. Configuration Example 2: This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a building having a room equipped with modular furniture. Configuration Example 2: This is a front perspective view showing an example of modular furniture. Configuration Example 2: This is a rear perspective view showing an example of modular furniture. Configuration Example 2: This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of modular furniture. Configuration Example 2: This is a rear perspective view showing another example of modular furniture (Modification Example 1). Configuration Example 2: This is a cross-sectional view showing another example of modular furniture (modification example 1). Configuration Example 2: This is a cross-sectional view showing another example of modular furniture (modification example 2). Configuration Example 2: This is a front perspective view showing another example of modular furniture (modification example 3). Configuration Example 2: This is a front view showing another example of modular furniture (modification example 3). Configuration Example 3: This is a front perspective view showing an example of modular furniture. Configuration Example 3: This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of modular furniture. Configuration Example 4: This is a front perspective view showing an example of modular furniture. Configuration Example 4: This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a floor unit. Configuration Example 4: This is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a floor unit (modification example 1). Configuration Example 4: This is a front perspective view showing another example of modular furniture (modification example 2). Configuration Example 5: This diagram shows a front view illustrating an example of modular furniture and an example of a room in which the modular furniture is installed. Configuration Example 5: This diagram shows a right side view illustrating an example of modular furniture, and an example of a room in which the modular furniture is installed. Configuration Example 5: This figure shows an example of the state of a room after the modular furniture has been removed. Configuration Example 5: This figure shows an example of the state of a room after the modular furniture has been removed. Configuration Example 6: This is a front perspective view showing an example of modular furniture. Configuration Example 6: This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a floor unit. Configuration Example 6: This is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a floor unit (modification example 1).

The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, while the embodiments described below are subject to various technically preferred limitations for carrying out the present invention, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples. Furthermore, the directions in the following embodiments (including configuration examples and their modifications) and illustrated examples are set solely for the convenience of explanation.

In Figure 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a room. This room 1 is located inside a building such as a house and comprises at least a floor surface 2 (floor 2) and a pair of opposing wall surfaces 3, 4 (wall 3, wall 4). In this embodiment, it also comprises another wall surface 5 (wall 5) perpendicular to the pair of wall surfaces 3, 4, and a ceiling 6. The space enclosed by the floor 2, walls 3, 4 (5), and ceiling 6 is defined as the room space RS of room 1.
A modular furniture unit 10, as shown in Figure 1, is placed on the floor 2 of such a room 1.

Of the pair of walls 3 and 4, wall 3 is located on the left side when viewing the unit furniture 10 from the front, and wall 4 is located on the right side. The other wall 5 is located on the rear side of the unit furniture 10. Therefore, in the following explanation, the wall on the left side will be referred to as the left wall 3 (left wall 3), the wall on the right side as the right wall 4 (right wall 4), and the other wall 5 on the rear side as the rear wall 5 (rear wall 5).

Furthermore, each of the walls 3, 4, and 5 is pre-finished with wall coverings (not shown), baseboards 40, and moldings (not shown), and the floor 2 is also pre-finished with flooring materials or mats. The unit furniture 10 is then installed in room 1, which is equipped with these walls 3, 4, and 5 and floor 2. Therefore, when installing the unit furniture 10 in room 1, it is necessary to carry out the work in a way that does not damage these finishes.

The unit furniture 10 is a freestanding piece of furniture that is placed in room 1 and is not fixed to the building structure. In other words, the unit furniture 10 has no mechanical connection to the building structure (such as fasteners like screws, adhesives, or various metal fittings), and is not built into the building structure. In short, although the unit furniture 10 is in contact with the floor and walls of room 1, it is simply a piece of furniture that is placed in room 1, and can be placed in rooms of various buildings, including detached houses, apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings, and commercial buildings such as office buildings.
Since the modular furniture 10 is not joined to the building structure, the structure of the building on which the modular furniture 10 is installed is not particularly limited. In other words, the building structure may be made of wood, steel, reinforced concrete, or steel-reinforced concrete, and the type of construction method (post-and-beam construction, wall construction, rigid frame construction, etc.) is not particularly limited. In short, since there is no need to join the modular furniture 10 to the building structure, there is no need to consider the compatibility of joining the modular furniture 10 to the building structure.

The unit furniture 10 itself is a prefabricated furniture that can be assembled on-site, and fasteners such as screws, adhesives, and various metal fittings are used as appropriate to join the components that make up the furniture.
Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 to 15, the modular furniture 10 has a basic configuration comprising a floor unit 11 and leg units 12 and 13 (first leg unit 12, second leg unit 13) that support the floor unit 11. Spaces 10a and 10b are formed above and below the floor unit 11. In this embodiment, the lower space 10a is used as a low-ceiling storage space that can be used from inside room 1, and the upper space 10b can be used as a single room with sufficient ceiling height to be used as a living room. Depending on the ceiling height of room 1 and the height dimensions of the leg units 12 and 13, the lower space 10a may be used as a single room and the upper space 10b as a low-ceiling storage space, or both the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b may be used as a single room or a low-ceiling storage space.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the modular furniture 10 includes, in addition to the basic configuration described above, a top plate 14, a handrail unit 15, and a lifting mechanism 16.

The floor unit 11 is made of floor structural materials, and it is possible for people to stand on its top surface, as well as for heavy objects to be placed on it.
In this embodiment, the floor unit 11 is made of wooden building panels used in the so-called wood panel bonding method, and has structural strength comparable to that of the building frame on which the unit furniture 10 is placed.
A building panel is constructed by assembling vertical and horizontal frame members into a rectangular shape, and then assembling auxiliary crossbars vertically and horizontally within the rectangular frame to form a frame body. Face material is attached to one or both sides of this frame body, resulting in a hollow internal structure. Furthermore, insulation material such as glass wool or rock wool is usually installed in the hollow internal portion.

In this embodiment, wooden building panels are used as the structural material for the floor, but the material is not limited to these. Laminated timber such as CLT (Cross Laminated Timber), load-bearing wall panels used in two-by-four construction, thick structural plywood with a predetermined thickness (e.g., 24 mm or more), single-piece boards with a predetermined thickness, or reinforced concrete panels (RC or S) may also be used.

The floor unit 11 is composed of floor bodies (architectural panels 11a and 11b for flooring) and is installed above a portion of the floor surface 2, with a width dimension set to be slightly shorter than the distance between the left wall surface 3 and the right wall surface 4.
Multiple building floor panels 11a and 11b (hereinafter referred to as building floor panels 11a and 11b) are used and are installed at a predetermined height above a portion of the floor surface 2 of the room 1, rather than covering the entire surface. In this embodiment, multiple building floor panels 11a and 11b are installed at a height position where the ceiling height of the lower space 10a is 0.8 to 1.4 meters.
The ceiling height of 0.8m to 1.4m is the minimum height required to allow a person to enter the lower space 10a and perform some work by bending over. However, it is not limited to this, and the ceiling height may be set arbitrarily according to the ceiling height of room 1. That is, the ceiling height of the lower space 10a may be set to a size that allows a person to walk and work in an upright position, while the ceiling height of the upper space 10b may be set to a size that allows a person to walk and work in a bent-over position, so that the upper space 10b can be used like a loft. Also, for example, if room 1 has an open atrium and the ceiling height of room 1 is high, the ceiling heights of both the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b may be set to a size that allows a person to walk and work in an upright position. Conversely, the ceiling heights of both the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b may be set to a size that allows a person to walk and work in a bent-over position. In short, since the unit furniture 10 is, after all, furniture, there are no particular restrictions on the vertical height in the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b, and it can be set arbitrarily.
The building floor panels 11a and 11b are connected to each other using tools such as screws, bolts, and nuts, thereby forming a floor unit 11.

The first leg unit 12 has a back panel 121, left and right side panels 122, 122, a bottom panel 124, and a shelf 125, and is designed to be used as a storage unit. The first leg units 12 are installed in a side-by-side, standing position below the front end (front side end) of the floor unit 11. In other words, the unit furniture 10 has a pair of first leg units 12, 12 arranged side by side.
The first leg unit 12 is set to a height dimension such that the ceiling height of the lower space 10a is 0.8 to 1.4 meters in this embodiment.

The plates 121, 122, 124, and 125 that constitute the first leg unit 12 are connected using tools such as screws, bolts, and nuts, thereby forming the first leg unit 12.
The back panel 121 and the side panels 122, 122 are roughly U-shaped in plan view. The bottom panel 124 and the back panel 121 and the side panels 122, 122 are connected such that the lower surface of the bottom panel 124 and the lower end surfaces of the back panel 121 and the side panels 122, 122 are nearly flush. The shelf panel 125 and the back panel 121 are connected such that the rear end surface of the shelf panel 125 and the front surface of the back panel 121 are in contact. The shelf panel 125 and the side panels 122, 122 are connected such that the left and right end surfaces of the shelf panel 125 and the opposing surfaces of the side panels 122, 122 (the mutually opposing surfaces of the side panels 122, 122) are in contact.
Furthermore, the number of shelves 125 is not limited to one; there may be multiple shelves. Also, the shelves 125 may be adjustable.
The plates 121, 122, 124, and 125 that constitute the first leg unit 12 may be made of board material such as MDF (Medium-density fiberboard, JIS A 5905) or particleboard (JIS A 5908), or they may be made of these board materials in a flush structure or a solid core structure, and can be selected as appropriate.

The second leg unit 13 has a back panel 131 and left and right side panels 132, 132. The second leg units 13 are installed in a standing position, two side by side, below the rear end (back side end) of the floor unit 11. In other words, the unit furniture 10 has a pair of second leg units 13, 13 arranged side by side.
The second leg unit 13 is set to a height dimension such that the ceiling height of the lower space 10a is 0.8 to 1.4 meters in this embodiment. In other words, it is set to the same height dimension as the first leg unit 12.

The plates 131 and 132 that make up the second leg unit 13 are connected using tools such as screws, bolts and nuts, thereby forming the second leg unit 13. The back plate 131 and the side plates 132, 132 have a roughly U-shape when viewed from above.
The plates 131 and 132 constituting the second leg unit 13 may be made of board material such as MDF or particleboard, similar to the plates 121, 122, 124, and 125 constituting the first leg unit 12, or they may be made of these board materials in a flush structure or a solid core structure, and can be selected as appropriate.
In this embodiment, the second leg unit 13 is composed of the minimum elements that form a roughly U-shape in plan view, but it may also be configured in the same way as the first leg unit 12, including a bottom plate and shelves.

As shown in Figure 14, the modular furniture 10 has two tabletops 14, 14. The left first leg unit 12 of the pair of first leg units 12, 12 and the left second leg unit 13 of the pair of second leg units 13, 13 share one tabletop 14 (the left tabletop 14). Similarly, the right first leg unit 12 of the pair of first leg units 12, 12 and the right second leg unit 13 of the pair of second leg units 13, 13 share the other tabletop 14 (the right tabletop 14). In other words, the length (front-to-back dimension) of the tabletop 14 is set to be approximately equal to the depth (front-to-back dimension) of the floor unit 11, and it is fixed by being stretched between the upper end surface of the first leg unit 12 and the upper end surface of the second leg unit 13.

Furthermore, the central edge of the tabletop 14 located towards the center protrudes toward the center.
Specifically, the right edge of the left tabletop 14 protrudes to the right more than the inner (right) side panel 122 of the left first leg unit 12 and the inner (right) side panel 132 of the left second leg unit 13. In other words, the left tabletop 14 is projecting out to the right (towards the center of the unit furniture 10).
Furthermore, the left edge of the right-side top panel 14 protrudes to the left more than the inner (left) side panel 122 of the right-side first leg unit 12 and the inner (left) side panel 132 of the right-side second leg unit 13. In other words, the right-side top panel 14 protrudes to the left (towards the center of the unit furniture 10).

The top panel 14 is composed of a first decorative panel 141 and a second decorative panel 142 which is stronger than the first decorative panel 141, with the second decorative panel 142 positioned further inward (towards the center of the unit furniture 10) than the first decorative panel 141. In other words, the stronger second decorative panel 142 protrudes laterally from the inner side panels 122 and 132 of the leg units 12 and 13.
The first decorative panel 141 may be made of a board material such as MDF or particleboard, or it may be made of such board material in a flush structure or a solid core structure, and can be selected as appropriate.
Furthermore, the second decorative panel 142 may be made of board material such as MDF (JIS A 5905) or particleboard (JIS A 5908), or it may be made of these board materials in a flush structure or a solid core structure, and can be selected as appropriate.
Furthermore, the second decorative panel 142 is not limited to being of higher strength than the first decorative panel 141. That is, the second decorative panel 142 may be of higher strength than the first decorative panel 141, may be of the same strength as the first decorative panel 141, or may be of lower strength than the first decorative panel 141.

The leg units 12 and 13 are joined to the top plate 14 (first decorative panel 141, second decorative panel 142) using tools such as screws, bolts, and nuts. For example, in this embodiment, the top plate 14 is fixed to the leg units 12 and 13 with screws B. The floor unit 11 is then placed on a pair of top plates 14, 14 arranged side by side.
In other words, the support unit U that supports the floor unit 11 is composed of a first leg unit 12, a second leg unit 13, and a top plate 14 that spans between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13.

As shown in Figure 10, the floor unit 11 has a pair of first building floor panels 11a, 11a arranged side by side, and a second building floor panel 11b positioned between these two first building floor panels 11a, 11a. In this embodiment, the building floor panels 11a, 11b are configured to include at least a frame member 110, an auxiliary cross member 112, and a surface material 111 attached to the upper surface of a frame made up of the frame member 110 and the auxiliary cross member 112.
The first building floor panel 11a is fixed to the upper surface of a top plate 14 that spans between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13, with the auxiliary crossbars 112 positioned in the front-to-back direction. The second building floor panel 11b is fixed by being spanned between the upper surface of one top plate 14 and the upper surface of the other top plate 14, with the auxiliary crossbars 112 positioned in the left-to-right direction. More specifically, the left and right ends of the second building floor panel 11b are fixed by being spanned across the upper surfaces of the central side edges of the left and right top plates 14, 14.

The top plates 14, 14 and the floor unit 11 are joined using tools such as screws, bolts and nuts. For example, in this embodiment, the floor unit 11 (architectural floor panels 11a, 11b) is fixed to the top plate 14 with screws B.
Specifically, as shown in Figure 15, the top plate 14 and the first building floor panel 11a are connected by driving screws B (for example, screws with a length of 75 mm) from the underside of the top plate 14 towards the frame members 110 (frame members 110 arranged in the front-to-back direction) and auxiliary cross members 112 of the first building floor panel 11a.
Furthermore, the top plate 14 and the second building floor panel 11b are connected by driving screws B (for example, screws with a length of 75 mm) from the underside of the top plate 14 towards the frame members 110 (frame members 110 arranged in the left-right direction) and auxiliary cross members 112 of the second building floor panel 11b.
Furthermore, the second building floor panel 11b, the top plate 14, and the leg units 12 and 13 are connected by driving screws B (for example, screws 150 mm long) from the top surface of the second building floor panel 11b towards the inner side plates 122 and 132 of the leg units 12 and 13.
Furthermore, the first building floor panel 11a and the second building floor panel 11b are connected by driving screws B (for example, screws with a length of 50 mm) from the frame members 110 (frame members 110 arranged in the front-to-back direction) of the second building floor panel 11b toward the frame members 110 (frame members 110 arranged in the front-to-back direction) of the first building floor panel 11a.
Although not shown in the diagram, the first building floor panel 11a and the leg units 12 and 13 are connected by driving screws B (for example, screws 150 mm long) from the top surface of the first building floor panel 11a towards the outer side plates 122 and 132 and back plates 121 and 131 of the leg units 12 and 13.

In this embodiment, the protrusion length of the top plate 14 (the left-right dimension of the portion that protrudes laterally beyond the inner side plates 122 and 132) is set to 25 mm to 30 mm. If the protrusion length is shorter than 25 mm, the portion of the second building floor panel 11b that contacts the top plate 14 becomes narrower (the engagement between the second building floor panel 11b and the top plate 14 weakens), making it impossible to obtain sufficient fall prevention effect. Furthermore, if the protrusion length is longer than 30 mm, it becomes difficult to drive screws B from the frame members 110 of the second building floor panel 11b (frame members 110 arranged in the front-rear direction) towards the frame members 110 of the first building floor panel 11a (frame members 110 arranged in the front-rear direction).

Thus, in this embodiment, since the top plate 14 protrudes laterally beyond the inner side plates 122 and 132, it is possible to ensure a length that allows easy access to the lower space 10a as the distance between the left leg units 12 and 13 and the right leg units 12 and 13 (i.e., the width dimension of the opening (doorway 10c) for people and items to enter and exit the lower space 10a), while preventing the floor structure (hereinafter referred to as "central floor structure") spanning between the left and right support units U from falling off.
In other words, in the unit furniture 10 of this embodiment, the top plate 14 protrudes laterally beyond the inner side plates 122 and 132 of the leg units 12 and 13. Therefore, without shortening the distance between the left and right leg units 12 and 13, or by providing a central floor unit that is long in the left-right direction, the portion of the central floor unit that contacts the top plate 14 becomes wider, and the central floor unit is engaged with the top plate 14 to the extent that it does not fall off. Thus, it is possible to prevent the central floor unit (second building floor panel 11b) from falling off while securing an opening (doorway 10c) with a width that allows easy access to the lower space 10a.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15, the central floor unit (second building floor panel 11b) is not only fixed to the top plate 14 with screws B, but also to the inner side plates 122 and 132 of the leg units 12 and 13 with screws B, so that the second building floor panel 11b can be reliably prevented from falling off.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15, the contact surface between the first building floor panel 11a and the second building floor panel 11b is located above the inner side plates 122 and 132 (see the dashed line in Figure 15). That is, since the contact ends (ends that contact each other) of both the first building floor panel 11a and the second building floor panel 11b are supported by the side plates 122 and 132, distortion and bending of the top plate 14 can be prevented, improving the stability of the floor unit 11.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15, not only the frame components (frame members 110 and auxiliary cross members 112) of the second building floor panel 11b that are arranged in the front-to-back direction, but also the ends of the frame components arranged in the left-to-right direction are placed on the top plate 14.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, not only the frame components (frame members 110 and auxiliary cross members 112) of the second building floor panel 11b that are arranged in the front-to-back direction, but also the frame components that are arranged in the left-to-right direction are fixed to the top plate 14 using screws B.
Furthermore, in the second building floor panel 11b, it is preferable to join the frame components arranged in the front-to-back direction and the frame components arranged in the left-to-right direction using adhesive in addition to fasteners such as screws.

The handrail unit 15 is a desk-type unit that can be used as a desk by a person on the upper surface (upper space 10b) of the floor unit 11. In addition, the front side of the right portion of the handrail unit 15 is a storage shelf with multiple shelves 156, which can be used as storage furniture by a person on the floor surface 2 (a person on the front side of the unit furniture 10).
In the modular furniture 10 of this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 16 is installed on the right side wall surface 4 (right side of the front end of the floor unit 11). Therefore, at the front end of the upper surface of the floor unit 11, a fixing bracket (not shown) for fixing the step material 19a and the lifting mechanism 16 is provided on the right side, and the handrail unit 15 is provided on the other parts (central part and left side part).
Furthermore, the location where the lifting mechanism 16 is installed may be on the left wall 3 side (the left front end of the floor unit 11) instead of the right wall 4 side. In that case, fixing brackets (not shown) for securing the stepping material 19a and the lifting mechanism 16 will be attached to the left side of the front end of the upper surface of the floor unit 11, and the handrail unit 15 will be provided on the remaining parts (the central and right sides).
Furthermore, the location where the lifting mechanism 16 is installed may be the central part (the center of the front end of the floor unit 11). In this case, a fixing bracket (not shown) for securing the stepping material 19a and the lifting mechanism 16 is attached to the central part of the front end of the upper surface of the floor unit 11, and handrail units 15, 15 are provided in the remaining parts (the left and right sides).
The floor unit 11 and the handrail unit 15 are joined using tools such as screws, bolts, and nuts.

The handrail unit 15 includes two back panels 151, two side panels 152, a partition panel 153 that divides the space between the two side panels 152 to the left and right, a top panel 154, an upright panel 155 that rises from the front end surface of the top panel 154, two shelves 156, and a bottom panel 157. The left back panel 151 is provided between the front ends of the partition panel 153 and the left side panel 152, while the right back panel 151 is provided in a position that divides the space between the partition panel 153 and the right side panel 152 from front to back, with the shelves 156 and the bottom panel 157 provided in the space in front of it.
Furthermore, the number of shelves 156 is not limited to two; there may be one or three or more. Also, the shelves 156 may be adjustable.
The plates 151 to 157 that make up the handrail unit 15 are connected using tools such as screws, bolts and nuts, thereby forming the handrail unit 15.

In this embodiment, the handrail unit 15 is desk-shaped as described above, but it is not limited to this, and for example, a storage furniture-type handrail unit that can be used as storage furniture may also be used. An example of a storage furniture-type handrail unit is a unit having two side panels, a partition panel that divides the space between the two side panels into left and right sections, a top panel, multiple shelves, and a bottom panel. This unit does not have a back panel, and the line of sight is unobstructed in the front-to-back direction.
In addition, it is also acceptable to simply provide a handrail wall, or to provide a railing-like handrail unit.

In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 16 is a ladder for ascending to the upper surface of the floor unit 11. The lifting mechanism 16 (ladder) is detachably attached to the floor unit 11.
Furthermore, the lifting mechanism 16 is in contact with the floor surface 2 of room 1 in an unfixed state. On the other hand, this lifting mechanism 16 is not in contact with the walls 3, 4, and 5 of room 1.
Furthermore, even if the lifting mechanism 16 is not a ladder but a staircase or ramp connecting the floor surface 2 of room 1 and the upper surface of the unit furniture 10, it is installed in a state where it is in contact with the floor surface 2 of room 1 in an unfixed state and is not in contact with the walls 3, 4, and 5 of room 1.

The upper surface of the floor unit 11 is provided with flooring material 17, such as flooring material or a mat. The front edge of the flooring material 17, which avoids the handrail unit 15, is housed in the step material 19a.
Furthermore, a ceiling material 18 is positioned between the left top panel 14 and the right top panel 14. This ceiling material 18 is a decorative panel with the same thickness as the top panels 14 and is fixed to the underside of the second building floor panels 11b, 11b.
Furthermore, a skirting board 19b is provided on the front end surface of the floor unit 11. This skirting board 19b covers the front end surfaces of the floor unit 11, the top plate 14, and the ceiling material 18.

The modular furniture unit 10 is installed on the floor surface 2 of room 1. The dimensions of the modular furniture unit 10 in the left-right direction are slightly shorter than the distance between the left wall surface 3 and the right wall surface 4, and it is in contact with the floor surface 2 and walls 3, 4, and 5 of room 1 in an unfixed state. In other words, the modular furniture unit 10 is not fixed to the building structure, but it is installed in a way that it fits snugly into a corner of room 1.
In this case, a vibration-dampening means 19c made of, for example, a vibration-dampening resin (foamed resin material) such as urethane foam or EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), is interposed between the unit furniture 10 and the floor surface 2 and wall surfaces 3, 4, and 5 of the room 1, thereby suppressing the transmission of vibrations between the unit furniture 10 and the building structure and absorbing construction errors.

The assembly of the unit furniture 10 is carried out on-site at the discretion of the workers, so a detailed explanation will be omitted, but basically, it is assembled sequentially from the bottom up, similar to the structural framework of a normal building.
Specifically, first the leg units 12 and 13 are assembled and installed. Next, the top plate 14 is provided on the upper end surfaces of the leg units 12 and 13 to form the support unit U. Then, the building floor panels 11a and 11b are provided on the upper surface of the top plate 14 to form the floor unit 11. Next, the floor surface material 17 is provided on the upper surface of the floor unit 11, and the handrail unit 15, the step material 19a, and the fixing brackets (not shown) for fixing the lifting mechanism 16 are provided at the front end of the upper surface. Next, the ceiling material 18 is provided in the center of the lower surface of the floor unit 11, the skirting board 19b is provided on the front end surface of the floor unit 11, and finally the lifting mechanism 16 is provided to form the unit furniture 10.

Furthermore, the building panels (each building floor panel) that make up the floor unit 11 are manufactured in advance at a factory and delivered to the site. Pre-manufacturing at the factory has the advantage of making them easy to transport and allowing for immediate assembly work at the site without any processing.

Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 2, a movable storage wagon W is placed between the left first leg unit 12 and the right leg unit 12, that is, in the opening (entrance/exit 10c) for entering and exiting the lower space 10a. By placing the storage wagon W in the entrance/exit 10c, the inside of the lower space 10a can be concealed, and the entrance/exit 10c can be used as storage space. In addition, since the storage wagon W is movable, it can be easily moved when entering and exiting the lower space 10a, making it convenient to use.
Furthermore, the number of storage wagons W is not limited to one; multiple units are permitted. Additionally, it is acceptable to provide one storage wagon W for each family member, allowing each person to use one.

In the examples shown in Figures 1 to 15, the first leg unit 12 is positioned so that the back plate 121 faces the rear, but the orientation of the back plate 121 can be changed as appropriate. Similarly, the second leg unit 13 is positioned so that the back plate 131 faces the rear, but the orientation of the back plate 131 can be changed as appropriate.
In other words, the orientation of the back plate 121 of the first leg unit 12 that constitutes the support unit U and the orientation of the back plate 131 of the second leg unit 13 that constitutes the support unit U may be the same or different.
Furthermore, in a pair of support units U provided by the modular furniture 10, the orientation of the back plate 121 of the first leg unit 12 constituting one support unit U and the orientation of the back plate 121 of the first leg unit 12 constituting the other support unit U may be the same or different.
Furthermore, in a pair of support units U provided by the modular furniture 10, the orientation of the back plate 131 of the second leg unit 13 constituting one support unit U and the orientation of the back plate 131 of the second leg unit 13 constituting the other support unit U may be the same or different.

Although the modular furniture 10 is configured as described above, it is not limited thereto and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Similarly, the room 1 in which the modular furniture 10 is installed is not limited to the configuration described above and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The structure of Room 1 (room structure) and examples of the configuration of the unit furniture 10 are described below. The configuration examples and their variations listed below may be combined as much as possible. In addition, in each configuration example and each variation, elements common to the above description are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the explanation is omitted or simplified.

[Configuration Example 1]
Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a building having a room 1 equipped with modular furniture 10, Figure 17 is a perspective view showing an example of a room 1 equipped with modular furniture 10, and Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a room 1 equipped with modular furniture 10. Note that in Figure 17, only the floor unit 11 and the support unit U of the modular furniture 10 are shown.

In this configuration example, the lower space 10a can be accessed from the front and right side of the unit furniture 10. Specifically, the right side wall 4 in this configuration example is provided with an access opening 7 that connects the lower space 10a of the unit furniture 10 with space S1 adjacent to the room space RS. Space S1 is the space between the pantry 50 and the washing machine area 60 in the bathroom, and is adjacent to the room space RS via the right side wall 4. In other words, the unit furniture 10 is adjacent to space S1 via the right side wall 4.
Furthermore, the wall on which the entrance/exit opening 7 is provided is not limited to the right-side wall 4; the entrance/exit opening 7 may also be provided in the left-side wall 3 or the rear-side wall 5. Also, the wall on which the entrance/exit opening 7 is provided may be one of the walls 3 to 5, or it may be multiple walls.

By providing an access opening 7, the number of openings (doorways 10c) for people and goods to enter and exit the lower space 10a can be increased, that is, the total area of doorways 10c can be increased. If none of the walls 3 to 5 have an access opening 7, the space between the leg units is blocked by the wall, specifically the rear space (the space between the left second leg unit 13 and the right second leg unit 13), the left space (the space between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13 that make up the left support unit U), and the right space (the space between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13 that make up the right support unit U). Therefore, the only space that can be used as a doorway 10c is the front space (the space between the left first leg unit 12 and the right first leg unit 12). In contrast, by providing an access opening 7 in the right wall 4, the right space can also be used as a doorway 10c in addition to the front space. In other words, the lower space 10a can be accessed not only from the room space RS but also from space S1.

The vertical dimension of the entrance/exit opening 7 is set to be approximately the same as the dimension from the floor surface 2 to the bottom surface of the top plate 14 of the unit furniture 10, as shown in Figure 18, for example. In other words, the vertical dimension of the entrance/exit opening 7 is set to be approximately the same as the ceiling height of the lower space 10a.
As a result, when looking from the space S1 side through the entrance/exit opening 7 to the room space RS side, the right end surface of the top panel 14 and the right end surface of the floor unit 11 are not visible, resulting in a better appearance.
If the vertical dimension of the entrance/exit opening 7 is longer than the ceiling height of the lower space 10a, a portion of the right end surface of the floor unit 11 (the portion facing the entrance/exit opening 7) cannot contact the right side wall 4 via the vibration suppression means 19c. However, by setting the vertical dimension of the entrance/exit opening 7 to be approximately the same as the ceiling height of the lower space 10a, the entire right end surface of the floor unit 11 can contact the right side wall 4 via the vibration suppression means 19c. This enhances the sense of unity between the floor unit 11 and the right side wall 4, and makes it possible to avoid inconveniences such as the unit furniture 10 and the building structure shaking differently in the event of an earthquake or the like.

Furthermore, the width of the entrance/exit opening 7 is set to be shorter than the distance between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13. As a result, when looking from the space S1 side to the room space RS side through the entrance/exit opening 7, the leg units 12 and 13 that make up the right-side support unit U are not visible, resulting in a better appearance.
In this configuration example, due to the arrangement of the pantry 50 and the washing machine area 60, the width of space S1 (dimension in the front-to-back direction) is shorter than the distance between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13. If the width of space S1 is greater than or equal to the distance between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13, the width of the entrance/exit opening 7 may be set to be approximately the same as the distance between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13, from the viewpoint of appearance, usability of the entrance/exit opening 7, etc.

Furthermore, the vertical dimension of the entrance/exit opening 7 is not limited to being approximately the same as the dimension from the floor surface 2 to the bottom surface of the top plate 14 of the unit furniture 10. For example, it may be approximately the same as the dimension from the floor surface 2 to the bottom surface of the floor unit 11 of the unit furniture 10.
Furthermore, the width dimension of the entrance/exit opening 7 is not limited to a dimension shorter than the distance between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13, or to a dimension approximately the same as said distance.
Furthermore, the space S1 connected to the room space RS (unit furniture 10) by the entrance/exit opening 7 is not limited to the space between the pantry 50 and the washing machine area 60 in the bathroom. Also, space S1 may be a space inside the building containing room 1 (pantry, bathroom, stairwell, etc.) or a space outside the building containing room 1 (backyard, etc.).
Furthermore, the entrance/exit opening 7 may be provided with an opening/closing member for opening and closing the entrance/exit opening 7.

In this configuration example, a room structure is formed by providing at least a floor 2 and walls 3 to 5 to create a room space RS, and a unit furniture 10 is placed on the floor 2. The unit furniture 10 comprises a floor unit 11 positioned above a part of the floor 2, and leg units 12 and 13 that support the floor unit 11, with a lower space 10a formed between the floor unit 11 and the floor 2. An access opening 7 is formed in at least one of the walls 3 to 5, connecting the room space RS to its outside (space S1), and the lower space 10a is positioned adjacent to the access opening 7.
Thus, an access opening 7 is formed in at least one of the walls 3 to 5, connecting the room space RS with its exterior (space S1). Since the lower space 10a is located adjacent to the access opening 7, access to the lower space 10a is possible not only from the space between the leg units that does not face the walls 3 to 5 (the front space), but also from the space facing the wall where the access opening 7 is provided. Therefore, by providing an access opening 7 in at least one of the walls 3 to 5, the number of entrances 10c to the lower space 10a can be increased, making it easier to enter and exit the lower space 10a and improving usability.

Furthermore, according to this configuration example, the vertical dimension of the entrance/exit opening 7 is set to be approximately equal to the ceiling height of the lower space 10a, making the entrance/exit opening 7 more convenient to use compared to the case where the vertical dimension of the entrance/exit opening 7 is less than the ceiling height of the lower space 10a. Also, the floor unit 11 is not exposed from the entrance/exit opening 7 (i.e., the end face of the floor unit 11 is not visible when viewing the room space RS side from the space S1 side through the entrance/exit opening 7), resulting in a better appearance. Moreover, not only the portion of the floor unit 11 facing the wall without the entrance/exit opening 7, but also the portion facing the wall with the entrance/exit opening 7, are in contact with the walls 3-5 in an unfixed state via the vibration suppression means 19c, thus enhancing the sense of unity between the floor unit 11 and the walls 3-5.

[Configuration Example 2]
Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a building having a room 1 equipped with modular furniture 10. Figure 20 is a front perspective view showing an example of modular furniture 10, Figure 21 is a rear perspective view showing an example of modular furniture 10, and Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of modular furniture 10. Note that in Figures 20 and 21, only the floor unit 11 and support unit U of the modular furniture 10 are shown.

In this configuration example, the unit furniture 10 is installed in a room 1 that has a skip floor or a stair landing. Specifically, the unit furniture 10 is installed in a room 1 that has a first floor 2a and a second floor 2b that is higher than the first floor 2a as the floor 2, and is installed straddling the first floor 2a and the second floor 2b, allowing access to the space below 10a from the front (first floor 2a side) and rear (second floor 2b side) of the unit furniture 10.
In this configuration example, room 1, as shown in Figure 19, for example, has a floor 2 consisting of a first floor 2a, which is the 1.5th floor, and a second floor 2b, which is the 2nd floor. The rear end of the unit furniture 10 is not in contact with the wall, and the space at the rear (the space between the left second leg unit 13 and the right second leg unit 13) is not blocked by a wall. Therefore, as shown in Figures 20 and 21, in addition to the front space (the space between the left first leg unit 12 and the right first leg unit 12) of the space between the leg units, the rear space can also be used as an entrance 10c to the lower space 10a. In other words, the lower space 10a can be accessed not only from the 1.5th floor (first floor 2a side) but also from the 2nd floor (second floor 2b side).

The first leg unit 12 is installed on the first floor 2a, and the second leg unit 13 is installed on the second floor 2b. The top plate 14 is stretched and fixed between the first leg unit 12 installed on the first floor 2a and the second leg unit 13 installed on the second floor 2b.
The height of the first leg unit 12, which is installed on the first floor 2a, and the height of the second leg unit 13, which is installed on the second floor 2b, are different. Specifically, the height of the first leg unit 12 installed on the first floor 2a is set to be longer than the height of the second leg unit 13 installed on the second floor 2b by the amount of the height difference between the first floor 2a and the second floor 2b.

The height dimensions of the leg units 12 and 13 are set such that the distance between the first floor 2a and the underside of the floor unit 11 (the underside of the top plate 14 or ceiling material 18) is such that a person (for example, an average-height adult male) can walk and work in a standing position, and the distance between the second floor 2b and the top surface of the floor unit 11 (the top surface of the floor surface material 17) is less than 1 meter.
By setting the distance between the first floor 2a and the underside of the floor unit 11 (the ceiling height of the lower space 10a on the first floor 2a) to a distance that allows a person to walk and work in an upright position, a person on the first floor 2a can enter and exit the lower space 10a without bending over, making it convenient to use.
Furthermore, since there is a half-floor height difference between the first floor 2a and the second floor 2b, even if the distance between the first floor 2a and the underside of the floor unit 11 is set to a distance that allows a person to walk and work in a standing position, the height difference between the second floor 2b and the top surface of the floor unit 11 can be kept to less than 1 meter. By keeping the height difference between the second floor 2b and the top surface of the floor unit 11 to less than 1 meter, the possibility of injury or other problems occurring if a person falls from the floor unit 11 to the second floor 2b is significantly reduced, eliminating the need to install the handrail unit 15 at the rear end (second floor 2b side) of the floor unit 11. In other words, the handrail unit 15 only needs to be installed at least at the front end (first floor 2a side) of the floor unit 11.

Furthermore, the distance between the first floor 2a and the underside of the floor unit 11 (the underside of the top plate 14 or ceiling material 18) is not limited to a distance that allows a person (for example, an adult male of average height) to walk and work in a standing position.
Furthermore, the distance between the second floor 2b and the upper surface of the floor unit 11 (the upper surface of the flooring material 17) is not limited to less than 1 meter.
Furthermore, the first floor 2a is not limited to the 1.5th floor. Also, the second floor 2b is not limited to the 2nd floor, and only needs to be higher than the first floor 2a. In addition, the height difference between the first floor 2a and the second floor 2b is not limited to a difference of half a floor, and may be less than or greater than a difference of half a floor.
Alternatively, the second leg unit 13 may be installed on the first floor 2a, and the first leg unit 12 may be installed on the second floor 2b, which is higher than the first floor 2a. In that case, the height dimension of the second leg unit 13 installed on the first floor 2a will be set to be longer than the height dimension of the first leg unit 12 installed on the second floor 2b by the difference in height between the first floor 2a and the second floor 2b.

(Modification 1 of Configuration Example 2)
Figure 23 is a rear perspective view showing another example of the modular furniture 10 (modification 1), and Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the modular furniture 10 (modification 1). Note that in Figure 23, only the floor unit 11 and the support unit U of the modular furniture 10 are shown.
For example, as shown in Figures 23 and 24, in the second leg unit 13 installed on the second floor 2b, the height dimension of the back plate 131 may be set shorter than the height dimension of the side plate 132 so that an opening is formed at the lower rear surface of the second leg unit 13. This makes the opening an entrance 10c for accessing the lower space 10a, so that it is possible to access the lower space 10a from the rear of the second leg unit 13 through the opening.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 23 and 24, for example, in the first leg unit 12 installed on the first floor 2a, the first leg unit 12 may be installed so that the back plate 121 faces the opposite side (front side) from the second floor 2b, and one of the multiple shelves 125 may be replaced with a long shelf 126 that has a longer depth dimension (dimension in the front-to-back direction) than the shelf 125, and the long shelf 126 may be positioned so that its upper surface is substantially flush with the floor surface of the second floor 2b. As a result, the floor surface of the second floor 2b and the upper surface of the long shelf 126 of the first leg unit 12 installed on the first floor 2a become continuous, so that by simply sliding an item on the second floor 2b, it can be moved to the upper surface of the long shelf 126, i.e., above the first floor 2a, through the opening (entrance/exit 10c) formed in the lower rear surface of the second leg unit 13. Therefore, it becomes possible to smoothly transfer items between the first floor 2a and the second floor 2b, making it easy to store items in the lower space 10a, and thus providing a user-friendly experience.
Furthermore, a support member may be provided to support the tip of the long shelf board 126.
Alternatively, the long shelf board 126 may be positioned such that its leading edge rests on the second floor 2b.

(Modification 2 of Configuration Example 2)
Figure 25 is a cross-sectional view showing another example (modified version 2) of the modular furniture 10.
For example, as shown in Figure 25, if a handrail 9 is installed on the edge of the second floor 2b, the top plate 14 may be spanned between the leg unit 12 installed on the first floor 2a and the handrail 9. In this case, as shown in Figure 25, for example, it is preferable to provide the top plate 14 with a handrail support member 143 that matches the shape of the existing handrail 9. This allows the top plate 14 to be stably fixed to the handrail 9.

(Modification 3 of Configuration Example 2)
Figure 26 is a front perspective view showing another example of the modular furniture 10 (modification 3), and Figure 27 is a front view showing another example of the modular furniture 10 (modification 3). Note that in Figure 26, only the floor unit 11 and the support unit U of the modular furniture 10 are shown.
For example, as shown in Figures 26 and 27, the left support unit U of the pair of support units U provided by the modular furniture 10 may be installed on the first floor 2a, and the right support unit U may be installed on the second floor 2b, so that the space below 10a can be accessed from the front (first floor 2a side) and the right (second floor 2b side) of the modular furniture 10.
Alternatively, the right-side support unit U can be installed on the first floor 2a, and the left-side support unit U can be installed on the second floor 2b, allowing access to the lower space 10a from the front (first floor 2a side) and left (second floor 2b side) of the unit furniture 10.

According to this configuration example (excluding modification 2 of this configuration example), in a room structure in which a room space RS is formed by providing at least a floor 2, and a unit furniture 10 is placed on the floor 2, the unit furniture 10 comprises a floor unit 11 positioned above a part of the floor 2, and leg units 12, 13 that support the floor unit 11, the floor 2 includes a first floor 2a and a second floor 2b that is higher than the first floor 2a, and the floor unit 11 is supported by leg units 12, 13 installed on the first floor 2a and leg units 12, 13 installed on the second floor 2b.
Thus, since the floor unit 11 is supported by leg units 12 and 13 installed on the first floor 2a and leg units 12 and 13 installed on the second floor 2b, which is higher than the first floor 2a, the lower space 10a between the floor unit 11 and the floor 2 can be accessed not only from the space between the leg units installed on the first floor 2a, but also from the space between the leg units installed on the second floor 2b. Therefore, by arranging the floor unit 11 across floors 2a and 2b of different heights, the number of entrances and exits to the lower space 10a can be increased, making it easier to enter and exit the lower space 10a and improving usability.

According to Modification 2 of this Configuration Example, in a room structure in which a room space RS is formed by at least a floor 2, and a unit furniture 10 is installed on the floor 2, the unit furniture 10 comprises a floor unit 11 positioned above a part of the floor 2, and a leg unit 12 that supports the floor unit 11. The floor 2 includes a first floor 2a and a second floor 2b that is higher than the first floor 2a, and a handrail 9 is installed on the second floor 2b. The floor unit 11 is supported by the leg unit 12 installed on the first floor 2a and the handrail 9.
Thus, since the floor unit 11 is supported by a leg unit 12 installed on the first floor 2a and a handrail 9 installed on the second floor 2b which is higher than the first floor 2a, if the handrail 9 has an opening (for example, if the handrail 9 is a railing-type handrail), in addition to the space between the leg units installed on the first floor 2a, the lower space 10a between the floor unit 11 and the floor 2 can be accessed from the opening in the handrail 9. Therefore, by arranging the floor unit 11 across floors 2a and 2b of different heights, the number of entrances to the lower space 10a can be increased, making it easier to enter and exit the lower space 10a and improving usability.

[Configuration Example 3]
Figure 28 is a front perspective view showing an example of the modular furniture 10, and Figure 29 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the modular furniture 10. Note that in Figure 28, only the floor unit 11 and the support unit U of the modular furniture 10 are shown.
In this configuration example, the lower space 10a can be accessed from the front and rear of the unit furniture 10. Specifically, the unit furniture 10 in this configuration example does not have a first leg unit 12, but only a second leg unit 13. The depth dimension (front-to-back dimension) of this second leg unit 13 is set to be approximately the same as the depth dimension of the floor unit 11. Furthermore, the unit furniture 10 is equipped with a storage unit 20 that can slide freely back and forth.

The storage units 20 are located inside the left second leg unit 13, inside the right second leg unit 13, and between the left and right second leg units 13. In other words, the modular furniture 10 has three storage units 20. Note that in Figure 28, for the sake of explanation, the illustration of the storage unit 20 located inside the right second leg unit 13 is omitted.
Furthermore, the unit furniture 10 includes a front connecting plate 21 that connects the front ends of the inner (right) side plate 132 of the left second leg unit 13 and the inner (left) side plate 132 of the right second leg unit 13, and a rail 22 attached to the side plate 132 of the second leg unit 13. The rail 22 is provided along the front-rear direction, and a slider (not shown) that slidably engages with the rail 22 is attached to the side of the storage unit 20.

The left storage unit 20 and the right storage unit 20 slide out of the lower space 10a toward the front of the modular furniture 10. This allows a person standing in front of the modular furniture 10 to store items in the lower space 10a (inside the storage unit 20) or to take out items stored in the lower space 10a (inside the storage unit 20).
Furthermore, the central storage unit 20 slides from the lower space 10a toward the rear of the unit furniture 10. An access opening 7 is provided in the rear wall 5, and by sliding, the central storage unit 20 can enter space S2 (the space adjacent to the room space RS (unit furniture 10) via the rear wall 5) through the access opening 7. This allows a person behind the unit furniture 10 (space S2) to store items in the lower space 10a (inside the storage unit 20) or to take out items stored in the lower space 10a (inside the storage unit 20).

In this configuration example, the second leg unit 13 has a bottom plate 133, and the unit furniture 10 is equipped with a lower connecting plate 23 that connects the lower ends of the inner (right) side plate 132 of the left second leg unit 13 and the inner (left) side plate 132 of the right second leg unit 13. The left storage unit 20 and the right storage unit 20 rest on the bottom plate 133 when positioned in the lower space 10a, and the central storage unit 20 rests on the lower connecting plate 23 when positioned in the lower space 10a. This improves the shape stability of the second leg unit 13, which has a long dimension in the front-to-back direction, and prevents the floor 2 from being damaged by the storage unit 20 sliding.
Furthermore, the number of storage units 20 is not limited to three; any number is acceptable.
Furthermore, the sliding direction of the storage unit 20 is not limited to the front-to-back direction, but may also be the left-to-right direction. Also, the unit furniture 10 may include a storage unit 20 that slides front-to-back and a storage unit 20 that slides left-to-right.

According to this configuration example, the modular furniture 10, which is installed in room 1, comprises a floor unit 11 positioned above a part of the floor 2 of room 1, a leg unit 13 installed on the floor 2 to support the floor unit 11, and a storage unit 20 positioned in the lower space 10a between the floor unit 11 and the floor 2 and movable horizontally outside the lower space 10a. The storage unit 20 comprises a storage unit 20 that can move from inside the lower space 10a to a first position outside the lower space 10a (for example, in front of the modular furniture 10), and a storage unit 20 that can move from inside the lower space 10a to a second position outside the lower space 10a (for example, behind the modular furniture 10).
Thus, the storage unit 20 includes a storage unit 20 that can move from inside the lower space 10a to a first position outside the lower space 10a, and a storage unit 20 that can move from inside the lower space 10a to a second position outside the lower space 10a. Therefore, the lower space 10a can be accessed from the second position as well as the first position. Consequently, by providing multiple storage units 20 with different directions of movement, the number of entrances and exits to the lower space 10a can be increased, making it easier to enter and exit the lower space 10a and improving usability.

[Configuration Example 4]
Figure 30 is a front perspective view showing an example of a modular furniture unit 10, and Figure 31 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a floor unit 11. Note that in Figure 30, only the floor unit 11 and the support unit U of the modular furniture unit 10 are shown.
In this configuration example, the lower space 10a can be accessed from the front and upper space 10b of the unit furniture 10. Specifically, the floor unit 11 in this configuration example has an opening 113 that connects the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b. This opening 113 is covered and blocked by one of the multiple floor panels (architectural floor panels) that make up the floor unit 11, and is revealed by flipping up that floor panel.

In this configuration example, the floor unit 11, as shown in Figure 31, for example, comprises a pair of first building floor panels 11a, 11a arranged side by side, and a pair of third building floor panels 11c, 11c arranged front by front between these first building floor panels 11a, 11a.
The first building floor panel 11a is fixed to the upper surface of a top plate 14 that spans between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13, with the auxiliary crossbars 112 positioned in the front-to-back direction.
Furthermore, of the pair of third building floor panels 11c, 11c arranged front to back, the rear third building floor panel 11c is fixed by being stretched between the upper surface of one top plate 14 and the upper surface of the other top plate 14, with the auxiliary support members 112 positioned in the left-right direction. In contrast, the front third building floor panel 11c is stretched between the upper surface of one top plate 14 and the upper surface of the other top plate 14, with the auxiliary support members 112 positioned in the left-right direction, but is not fixed to the top plates 14, 14, and is rotatably fixed to the left first building floor panel 11a.

Specifically, the left frame member 110 of the left and right frame members 110, 110 arranged in the front-to-back direction on the front-to-back third building floor panel 11c is connected to the right frame member 110 of the left frame members 110, 110 arranged in the front-to-back direction on the left-side first building floor panel 11a via a connecting means such as a hinge (not shown). Therefore, by pulling up the right end of the front-to-back third building floor panel 11c to the upper left, the third building floor panel 11c can be flipped up, that is, the entrance/exit 113 can be opened (revealed). Note that the front-to-back third building floor panel 11c may be fitted with a gripping means for gripping when opening and closing the entrance/exit 113.

By flipping up the front third building floor panel 11c to open the access door 113, a person on the upper surface (upper space 10b) of the floor unit 11 can store items in the lower space 10a or take out items stored in the lower space 10a via the access door 113. Furthermore, it is possible to install a lifting mechanism 16 (ladder) inside the access door 113, which allows a person to move between the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b (ascending and descending).
In other words, by opening the entrance/exit 113, it becomes possible to use the entrance/exit 113 as an opening (doorway 10c) for people and goods to enter and exit the lower space 10a.

Furthermore, in this configuration example, the entrance/exit 113 is integrally provided with the front entrance/exit 10c (the space between the left first leg unit 12 and the right first leg unit 12). Therefore, by opening the entrance/exit 113, a person standing in front of the unit furniture 10 can enter the central part of the lower space 10a through the front entrance/exit 10c while remaining standing, making it very convenient to use.

Furthermore, the building floor panel to which the front third building floor panel 11c is rotatably fixed is not limited to the left first building floor panel 11a, but may also be rotatably fixed to the right first building floor panel 11a, or to the rear third building floor panel 11c.
Furthermore, the rotatable building floor panel (a building floor panel that can be flipped up) is not limited to the front third building floor panel 11c; the rear third building floor panel 11c may also be fixed in a rotatable manner, or both the front third building floor panel 11c and the rear third building floor panel 11c may be fixed in a rotatable manner.
Furthermore, for example, three building floor panels arranged front to back may be placed between a pair of first building floor panels 11a, 11a arranged side to side, and the middle of these three building floor panels may be made flip-up. In other words, the entrance/exit 113 does not have to be formed by including the end of the floor unit 11.

(Modification 1 of Configuration Example 4)
Figure 32 is a cross-sectional view showing another example (modification 1) of the floor unit 11.
The building floor panel constituting the floor unit 11 is constructed by fixing a surface material 111 to the upper surface of a frame made up of a plurality of frame members 110 and a plurality of auxiliary cross members 112. However, the plurality of frame members 110 and the plurality of auxiliary cross members 112 can be appropriately combined, for example as shown in Figure 32, to form an entrance/exit 113 in the floor unit 11, and a cover member that opens and closes the entrance/exit 113 may be attached to the upper surface of the entrance/exit 113 instead of the surface material 111. In other words, the member that opens and closes the entrance/exit 113 may be a cover member (floor hatch, etc.) rather than the floor body (building floor panel). Furthermore, the entrance/exit 113 does not have to be formed including the end of the floor unit 11.

(Modification 2 of Configuration Example 4)
Figure 33 is a front perspective view showing another example (modification 2) of the modular furniture 10. Note that in Figure 33, only the floor unit 11 and the support unit U of the modular furniture 10 are shown.
The modular furniture 10 may include a storage unit 30 that can raise and lower an access opening 113 connecting the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b. In this modified example, the floor unit 11, as shown in Figure 10, has a pair of first building floor panels 11a, 11a arranged side by side, and a second building floor panel 11b positioned between these first building floor panels 11a, 11a, with a part (or all) of the surface material 111 constituting the second building floor panel 11b being detachable.

In this modified example, the modular furniture 10 is equipped with a storage unit 30 with casters. The storage unit 30 is located in the lower space 10a and can be moved forward by the casters through the front entrance 10c (the space between the left first leg unit 12 and the right first leg unit 12). Furthermore, the storage unit 30 can be lifted into the upper space 10b by removing a portion of the surface material 111 that constitutes the second building floor panel 11b, through the space between the auxiliary battens 112, 112 that constitute the second building floor panel 11b. In other words, the space between the adjacent auxiliary battens 112, 112 serves as an access point 113 (entrance/exit 10c).
The left-right dimension of the storage unit 30 is set to be shorter than the distance between the left and right top panels 14, 14, and the front-back dimension of the storage unit 30 is set to be shorter than the distance between adjacent auxiliary battens 112, 112 that make up the second building floor panel 11b. In addition, the unit furniture 10 in this modified example does not have a ceiling material 18.

In this modified example, a person on the upper surface (upper space 10b) of the floor unit 11 pulls the storage unit 30 up into the upper space 10b through a limited space between the left and right top panels 14, 14 and between the adjacent auxiliary support members 112, 112. Therefore, if the storage unit 30 is misaligned in the front-to-back or left-to-right direction, the top panels 14 and auxiliary support members 112 get in the way and prevent the storage unit 30 from being pulled up. To avoid this inconvenience, the unit furniture 10 may be equipped with positioning means for arranging the storage unit 30 in a fixed position within the lower space 10a.
Furthermore, the modular furniture 10 may be equipped with guide means (such as rails) for guiding the vertical movement of the storage unit 30 (movement between the upper space 10b and the lower space 10a). This makes it easier to lift the storage unit 30.

Furthermore, when the entire storage unit 30 is raised into the upper space 10b, the storage unit 30 is positioned on the floor unit 11 (for example, on the part where the facing material 111 has not been removed), allowing items to be stored in the storage unit 30 or items stored in the storage unit 30 to be taken out.
Furthermore, if the storage unit 30 is provided with shelves or the like and is divided into upper and lower sections, then items can be stored in or removed from the storage unit 30 while it is in the process of being pulled up (for example, when the upper part of the storage unit 30 is in the upper space 10b and the lower part of the storage unit 30 is in the lower space 10a). However, in doing so, the user must grasp the gripping member of the storage unit 30 with their hand to maintain the state in which a part of the storage unit 30 is in the upper space 10b while putting items in or taking them out of the storage unit 30, which is inconvenient. To avoid such inconveniences, the modular furniture 10 may be equipped with a maintenance means (such as a stopper) to maintain the state in which a part (or all) of the storage unit 30 protrudes from the opening 113.

According to this configuration example, the modular furniture 10, which is installed in room 1, comprises a floor unit 11 positioned above a part of the floor 2 of room 1, and leg units 12 and 13 installed on the floor 2 to support the floor unit 11. A lower space 10a is formed between the floor unit 11 and the floor 2, and an upper space 10b is formed between the floor unit 11 and the ceiling 6 of room 1. The floor unit 11 has an opening 113 that connects the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b, and the opening 113 is provided with an opening/closing member (architectural floor panel 11c, cover member, facing material 111) for opening and closing the opening 113.
Thus, since the floor unit 11 has an access opening 113 that connects the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b, access to the lower space 10a is possible not only from the space between the leg units but also from the upper space 10b. Therefore, by forming an access opening 113 in the floor unit 11, the number of entrances and exits to the lower space 10a can be increased, making it easier to enter and exit the lower space 10a and improving usability.

Furthermore, according to this configuration example (excluding variations 1 and 2 of this configuration example), since the entrance/exit 113 is formed including the end (e.g., the front end) of the floor unit 11, a person on the floor 2 can access the lower space 10a through the space between the leg units while remaining in a standing position, making it convenient to use.

Furthermore, according to Modification 2 of this configuration example, a storage unit 30 is provided that can move between the lower space 10a and the upper space 10b via the access opening 113. Therefore, by simply lifting the storage unit 30 from the lower space 10a to the upper space 10b, access from the upper space 10b to the lower space 10a is possible, making it very convenient to use.

[Configuration Example 5]
Figure 34 is a front view showing an example of a modular furniture unit 10 and a diagram showing an example of a room 1 in which the modular furniture unit 10 is installed. Figure 35 is a right side view showing an example of a modular furniture unit 10 and a diagram showing an example of a room 1 in which the modular furniture unit 10 is installed. Figures 36 and 37 are diagrams showing an example of the state of room 1 after the modular furniture unit 10 has been removed.
In this configuration example, the modular furniture 10 does not have a handrail unit 15, and the room 1 in this configuration example has a hanging shelf 8a above a part of the front end of the floor unit 11 of the modular furniture 10. This hanging shelf 8a can be used as storage furniture and can also be used as a handrail, and is fixed to the left wall 3 (or the right wall 4).

By not providing a handrail unit 15 to the modular furniture 10, the load from above on the leg units 12 and 13 is reduced, allowing the width (horizontal dimension) and depth (front-to-back dimension) of the leg units 12 and 13 to be shortened. A shorter width for the leg units 12 and 13 widens the opening width of the front and rear doorways 10c, and a shorter depth for the leg units 12 and 13 widens the opening width of the left and right doorways 10c, thus improving the usability of the doorways 10c.
Furthermore, in this configuration example, the stepping sill material 19a is attached to the entire front end of the upper surface of the floor unit 11 (left side, central side, and right side).

As shown in Figure 34, for example, the width dimension (dimension in the left-right direction) of the hanging shelf 8a is set to be shorter than that of the leg units 12 and 13, and as shown in Figure 35, for example, the depth dimension (dimension in the front-back direction) is set to be approximately the same as that of the leg units 12 and 13.
Furthermore, the height of the hanging shelf 8a is set to a position where multiple leg units 12 and 13, which are arranged vertically between the floor 2 and the hanging shelf 8a, fit perfectly. As a result, as shown in Figures 36 and 37, for example, after the unit furniture 10 is removed, the leg units 12 and 13 can be placed between the floor 2 and the hanging shelf 8a. This eliminates the awkward appearance of having only the hanging shelf 8a remaining after the unit furniture 10 has been removed, and also allows the units that make up the unit furniture 10 to be used even after the unit furniture 10 has been removed.

In the example shown in Figure 36, two first leg units 12 are arranged vertically between the floor 2 and the hanging shelf 8a. These two first leg units 12 are connected by a joining means 8b, such as a dowel. Furthermore, a supplementary unit 8c, usable as storage furniture, is placed on the upper surface of the upper first leg unit 12. In this configuration, since the width of the hanging shelf 8a is shorter than the width of the first leg units 12, a step will occur between the hanging shelf 8a and the first leg units 12 when the first leg units 12 are arranged between the floor 2 and the hanging shelf 8a. However, by providing the supplementary unit 8c, this step can be filled, enhancing the sense of unity between the hanging shelf 8a and the first leg units 12.

Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 37, two first leg units 12 are arranged vertically between the floor 2 and the hanging shelf 8a. These two first leg units 12 are connected by support means 8d, 8d, such as boards. Specifically, the upper first leg unit 12 rests upside down on the lower first leg unit 12. The support means 8d, 8d rest on the shelf board 125 of the lower first leg unit 12, and the shelf board 125 of the upper first leg unit 12 rests on the support means 8d, 8d.
In the examples shown in Figures 36 and 37, after removing the modular furniture 10, two first leg units 12 are arranged vertically between the floor 2 and the hanging shelf 8a. However, the design is not limited to this arrangement. For example, two second leg units 13 may be arranged vertically, or one first leg unit 12 and one second leg unit 13 may be arranged vertically. Furthermore, after removing the modular furniture 10, a new unit unrelated to the modular furniture 10 may be installed between the floor 2 and the hanging shelf 8a.

[Configuration Example 6]
Figure 38 is a front perspective view showing an example of a modular furniture unit 10, and Figure 39 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a floor unit 11. Note that in Figure 38, only the floor unit 11 and the support unit U of the modular furniture unit 10 are shown.
In this configuration example, the floor unit 11 is composed of five building floor panels 11d and 11e arranged side by side.

The fourth building floor panel 11d, like the first building floor panel 11a, is fixed to the upper surface of the top plate 14, which is spanned between the first leg unit 12 and the second leg unit 13, with the auxiliary crossbars 112 positioned in the front-to-back direction. The fourth building floor panel 11d has dimensions in the long-side direction that are approximately the same as the first building floor panel 11a, while its short-side direction is shorter (for example, half the length) than the first building floor panel 11a. Therefore, because the fourth building floor panel 11d is smaller (narrower) than the first building floor panel 11a, it is easier to carry and improves work efficiency during delivery.

Furthermore, the fifth building floor panel 11e, like the second building floor panel 11b, is fixed by being spanned between the top surfaces of one top panel 14 and the other top panel 14, with the auxiliary support members 112 positioned in the left-right direction. The fifth building floor panel 11e has dimensions in the long-side direction that are approximately the same as the second building floor panel 11b, while its dimensions in the short-side direction are shorter than the second building floor panel 11b (for example, half the length). Therefore, because the fifth building floor panel 11e is smaller (narrower) than the second building floor panel 11b, it is easier to carry and improves work efficiency during delivery.

(Modification 1 of Configuration Example 6)
The floor unit 11 may be composed of multiple types of floor bodies (building floor panels) with different shapes.
Specifically, as shown in Figure 40, for example, it is also possible to replace the fifth building floor panel 11e in the example shown in Figure 39 with a pair of third building floor panels 11c, 11c arranged in a front-to-back configuration. In this case, since the third building floor panel 11c is wider than the fifth building floor panel 11e, the opening width of the front entrance 10c and the rear entrance 10c becomes wider compared to when the fifth building floor panel 11e is used. Also, since the third building floor panel 11c is smaller (shorter) than the second building floor panel 11b, it is easier to carry and improves work efficiency during delivery compared to when the second building floor panel 11b is used.

1 Room 2 Floor 2a First floor 2b Second floor 3 Wall 4 Wall 5 Wall 6 Ceiling 7 Entrance/exit opening (opening)
9 Handrail 10 Unit furniture 10a Lower space 10b Upper space 11 Floor unit 12 First leg unit 13 Second leg unit 19c Vibration suppression means 20 Storage unit 30 Storage unit 113 Entrance RS Room space S1 Space (exterior)

Claims (5)

In a room structure in which a room space is formed by at least a floor and multiple walls, and unit furniture is installed on the floor,
The aforementioned modular furniture comprises a floor unit positioned above a portion of the floor, and a plurality of leg units supporting the floor unit, with a lower space formed between the floor unit and the floor.
At least one of the multiple walls has an opening that connects the room space to the outside.
The lower space is located adjacent to the opening,
Multiple leg units,
A pair of the wall-side leg units are arranged at intervals from each other along the side of the unit furniture that is adjacent to and facing one of the walls,
This includes a pair of leg units that are not on the wall side, which are spaced apart from each other along the side of the unit furniture that is not adjacent to or facing any of the multiple walls,
The space between the pair of leg units on the wall side is designated as a first entrance/exit space, and this first entrance/exit space is continuous with the opening and, together with the opening, connects the room space to the outside.
The space between the pair of leg units that are not on the wall side is provided as a second entrance/exit space, and this second entrance/exit space is characterized in that it connects the lower space with the outside of the lower space in the room space. In the room structure described in claim 1,
The vertical dimensions of the opening and the first entrance space are set to be approximately equal to the ceiling height of the lower space.
The room structure is characterized in that the floor unit is in non-fixed contact with the wall via vibration suppression means. In the room structure according to claim 1 or 2,
The aforementioned floor includes a first floor and a second floor that is higher than the first floor.
The room structure is characterized in that the floor unit is supported by a leg unit installed on the first floor and a leg unit installed on the second floor. In the room structure according to claim 1 or 2,
The aforementioned floor includes a first floor and a second floor that is higher than the first floor.
A handrail is installed on the second bed.
A room structure characterized in that the floor unit is supported by the leg unit and the handrail, which are installed on the first floor. In the room structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The aforementioned room space has a ceiling,
The ceiling side of the floor unit is considered an upper space.
The room structure is characterized in that the floor unit has an opening that connects the lower space and the upper space.