JP2024064291A - Shelf - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To enable the position of a door or storage section, in other words the position of a locker or drawer, to be moved to a position corresponding to another storage space without the troublesome work of attaching and detaching hinges. [Solution] In a shelf S which can form a plurality of cubic or rectangular storage spaces SP, with a skeleton formed by frames 11 and 12, a pair of left and right side panels 3 which fit substantially within the width of the frame 11 in a front view and divide the storage space SP into left and right sides are arranged on the sides of the storage space SP, and a locker door 6 which serves as a front panel can be provided so as to be movable relative to the storage space SP, and at least one of the pair of side panels 3 can be selectively attached to a first side panel 3 which is integrally provided with a slide hinge 60 which serves as a movement aid supporting the door 6 so that it can move relative to the storage space SP, or a second side panel 3 which does not have a slide hinge 60 and has a thickness which corresponds substantially to the width of the frame 11. [Selected Figure] Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a shelf suitable for use in offices, etc.

A conventional shelf of this type is known to have a shelf body with multiple storage spaces that are open to the front (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

With this type of shelf, it is possible to change the overall specifications of the shelf to suit one's preferences by providing opening and closing doors or drawers in specific storage spaces. However, in storage spaces with opening and closing doors, the hinges that support the opening and closing doors must be fastened to the side panels of the storage space using multiple screws, etc., and in storage spaces with drawers, the drawer rails must be attached to the side panels using many screws, etc. Therefore, when changing the storage space in which opening and closing doors or drawers are provided, it is necessary to remove and fasten many screws, and the change work is very time-consuming.

In the case of the prior art mentioned above, it is possible to change the mounting position of the side panel itself by disassembling the entire shelf, but such disassembly and assembly work may require more man-hours.

Japanese Patent No. 5675947

The present invention aims to provide a shelf that can solve the above problems.

The shelf according to the invention described in claim 1 is a shelf that can form a skeleton with a frame and can form multiple cubic or rectangular parallelepiped storage spaces, and a pair of left and right side panels that are approximately within the width of the frame when viewed from the front and divide the storage space into left and right sides are arranged between the front and rear frames on the sides of the storage space, and a front panel or a storage section that is configured integrally with the front panel can be provided so as to be movable relative to the storage space, and at least one of the pair of side panels can be selectively attached to either a first side panel that is integrally provided with a movable support device that supports the front panel or the storage section so that it can move relative to the storage space, or a second side panel that does not have a movable support device and has a thickness that corresponds approximately to the width of the frame.

The shelf according to the invention described in claim 2 is the one described in claim 1, in which the frame includes a main frame that forms the storage space and a secondary frame that is attached to the main frame and divides the storage space into smaller storage spaces.

The shelf according to the invention described in claim 3 is the one described in claim 1, in which an upper panel that defines the upper part of the storage space and a lower panel that defines the lower part of the storage space are arranged to be spanned between the front and rear frames.

The shelf according to the invention described in claim 4 is the one described in claim 1, in which a gap is provided at the lower edge of the frame that faces the upper edge of the front panel.

The shelf according to the invention described in claim 5 is the one described in claim 1, in which the front panel is a door and the movable auxiliary is a hinge.

The shelf according to the invention described in claim 6 is the same as that described in claim 4, in which the storage spaces are provided in multiple levels in the vertical direction, the front faces of the storage spaces adjacent to each other on the top and bottom are set in different directions, and the doors of the upper and lower levels are configured to be able to be opened and closed in different directions.

The shelf according to the invention described in claim 7 is the one described in claim 1, in which the storage section is a drawer storage unit and the movable auxiliary device is a slide rail.

The shelf according to the invention described in claim 8 is the same as that described in claim 4, in which the storage spaces are arranged in multiple levels in the vertical direction, the front faces of the storage spaces adjacent to each other are set in different directions, and the drawers of the upper and lower levels are configured to slide in different directions.

The shelf according to the invention described in claim 9 is a shelf that can form a skeleton with a frame and can form multiple cubic or rectangular parallelepiped storage spaces, and at the upper or lower part of the storage space, an upper or lower panel that fits approximately within the width of the frame when viewed from the front and divides the storage space into upper and lower parts is arranged between the front and rear frames, and a front panel or a storage section that is integral with the front panel can be provided so as to be movable relative to the storage space, and at least one of the upper or lower panels can be selectively attached to a first upper or lower panel that is integrally provided with a movable auxiliary device that supports the front panel or the storage section so that it can move relative to the storage space, or a second upper or lower panel that does not have a movable auxiliary device and has a thickness that corresponds approximately to the width of the frame.

The shelf according to the invention of claim 10 is a shelf that can form a skeleton with a frame and can form a plurality of cubic or rectangular parallelepiped storage spaces, and the left and right side panels, top panel, and bottom panel that have a thickness corresponding to approximately the width of the frame and fit within the width of the frame when viewed from the front can be positioned between the front and back frames on the left and right sides, top, and bottom of the storage space, respectively, and a front panel or a storage section that is integrally formed with the front panel can be placed on the front of the storage space, and a movable auxiliary device that supports the front panel or the storage section so that it can move relative to the storage space can be integrally provided on the inner surface of at least one of the side panels, top panel, and bottom panel.

In the present invention, the "skeleton" in "forming the skeleton (of the shelf) with a frame" is not limited to frames connected in a closed loop, nor is it limited to frames connected in a closed loop with the inner spaces each forming a single storage space.

In addition, in the present invention, "approximately fitting within the width of the frame" is a concept that includes fitting within the width of two frames when the frames are connected in a double abutting state.

On the other hand, in the present invention, "having a thickness that corresponds approximately to the width of the frame" does not include having a thickness that corresponds to the width of two frames when the frames are connected in a double abutting state.

According to the present invention, it is possible to move the position of a door or storage section, in other words the position of a locker or drawer, to a location corresponding to another storage space, without the need for the cumbersome screwing and unscrewing work required to attach and detach hinges.

1 is an overall perspective view showing a shelf according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a front view showing the shelf according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a shelf according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a right side view showing the shelf according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged front cross-sectional view of a main part of the shelf of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged front cross-sectional view of a main part of the shelf of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged front cross-sectional view of a main part of the shelf of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a side plate and a locking member of the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a front view showing a shelf according to another embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9 . FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a shelf according to still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view showing a shelf according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view showing a shelf according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view showing a shelf according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a side cross-sectional view showing a shelf according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The shelf S of this embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 has multiple storage spaces SP in which items can be stored. This shelf S is constructed by connecting multiple vertical frames 11, which are erected supports, with horizontal frames 12 extending left and right or front and rear, to form a framework structure 1, which is the shelf body, to which shelf boards 2, side panels 3, which are inset panels, and a back panel 4 are attached.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, this shelf S has a skeleton formed by vertical frames 11 and horizontal frames 12, and can form multiple cuboid or rectangular storage spaces SP. At the sides of the storage space SP, a pair of left and right side panels 3 that fit roughly within the width of the vertical frames 11 when viewed from the front and divide the storage space SP into left and right sides are arranged to span between the front and rear horizontal frames 12, and the locker door 6, which is the front panel, can be installed so that it can be moved relative to the storage space SP.

In addition, at least one of the pair of side panels 3 can be selectively attached with either a first side panel having a sliding hinge 60, which is a movable support device that supports the front panel so that it can move relative to the storage space SP, or a second side panel that does not have a sliding hinge 60. In this embodiment, the side panel 3 on the right side as viewed from the front is the first side panel having a sliding hinge 60, and the side panel 3 on the left side as viewed from the front is the second side panel that does not have a sliding hinge 60.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, an upper panel that defines the upper portion of the storage space SP and a lower panel that defines the lower portion of the storage space SP are arranged to span between the front and rear horizontal frames 12.

To explain in more detail below, the frames that are elements of the self-supporting framework structure 1, i.e., the vertical frames 11 and the horizontal frames 12, are each made from, for example, metal square pipe material. The cross sections of the vertical frames 11 and the horizontal frames 12 are approximately square. The left-right width dimension of the side surface facing the front-rear direction of the vertical frame 11 and the front-rear width dimension of the side surface facing the left-right direction are approximately equal to each other. The up-down width dimension of the side surface facing the front-rear direction of the horizontal frame 12 extending left-right and the front-rear width dimensions of the upward and downward faces are approximately equal to each other. In addition, the up-down width dimension of the side surface facing the left-right direction of the horizontal frame 12 extending front-rear and the front-rear width dimensions of the upward and downward faces are approximately equal to each other. The width dimensions of the vertical frames 11 and the horizontal frames 12 are also approximately equal to each other.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a pair of horizontal frames 12 extending in parallel from left to right and a pair of horizontal frames 12 extending in parallel from front to back form a frame body having a rectangular shape in a plan view. The length of the horizontal frames 12 extending in the left to right direction is approximately equal to the length of the horizontal frames 12 extending in the front to back direction. The shelf board 2 fits just so as to fill the inside of the window area surrounded by the horizontal frames 12.

The shelf board 2 may be made from a wooden board or may be made by bending and shaping a metal sheet. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the shelf board 2 is a square plate whose left-right dimension in a plan view is approximately equal to its front-to-back dimension. As shown in Figs. 5 to 7, the top-to-bottom thickness dimension of the shelf board 2 is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the top-to-bottom width dimension of the horizontal frame 12. In this embodiment, the shelf board 2 corresponds to the upper and lower panels of the present invention. In this embodiment, cubic storage spaces SP are arranged in three vertical stages and two horizontal columns, and the upper and lower parts of each storage space SP are divided by the shelf board 2. In other words, the shelf board 2 is the upper and lower panels of each storage space SP, but the number and shape of the storage spaces SP may be set arbitrarily.

A pair of horizontal frames 12, which are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction and extend in parallel from left to right, have slits 13 drilled through the opposing sides (the rear side of the front horizontal frame 12 and the front side of the rear horizontal frame 12) in advance. By hanging hooks 14, which serve as shelf supports, in the slits 13 and having the hooks 14 support the shelf board 2, the shelf board 2 can be detachably attached to the framework structure 1. The top surface of the shelf board 2 is approximately flush with the upward facing surface of the adjacent horizontal frame 12.

The hook 14 is made, for example, by punching and pressing a metal sheet. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the hook 14 has a hanging plate 141 that is attached to the side of the horizontal frame 12, a bending plate 142 that is connected to the upper end of the hanging plate 141 and inserted into the horizontal frame 12 through the slit 13, and a shelf support plate 143 that is connected to the lower end of the hanging plate 141 and extends in the front-to-rear direction away from the side of the horizontal frame 12.

The hanging plate 141 has a protrusion 144 that bulges in the front-rear direction away from the side of the horizontal frame 12. When the shelf 2 is placed on the shelf support plate 143 of the hook 14, the protrusion 144 abuts against the end face of the shelf 2, ensuring a gap (or joint) 7 of a specified width between the side of the horizontal frame 12 and the end face of the shelf 2 adjacent thereto. 15 is a caster provided at both front and rear ends on both the left and right ends of the shelf S, and is attached below the vertical frame 11. 16 is a caster provided near both front and rear ends in the middle of the width of the shelf S, and is attached below the horizontal frame 12 that extends in the front-rear direction. It should be noted that the shelf of the present invention does not necessarily need to be provided with casters.

A pair of vertical frames 11 extending parallel to one another from top to bottom, and a pair of horizontal frames 12 extending parallel to the left to right, form a frame body that is rectangular in front view. The vertical separation distance between the pair of horizontal frames 12 extending parallel to the left to right is approximately equal to the length of the horizontal frames 12 extending from front to back. The length of the horizontal frames 12 extending left to right is approximately equal to the vertical separation distance. The side panels 3 and back panel 4, which are inset panels, fit just so as to fill the window area surrounded by the vertical frames 11 and horizontal frames 12.

The side panels 3 and back panel 4 may be made from wooden panels or by bending and shaping sheet metal. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the side panels 3 and back panel 4 are square plates whose width dimension in front view is approximately equal to their height dimension. The thickness dimension of the side panels 3 and back panel 4 is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the width dimension of the vertical frame 11 and the horizontal frames 12 extending to the left and right.

The side panel 3 shields the storage space SP from the side. The exposed outer surface of the side panel 3 is approximately flush with the outer surfaces of the adjacent vertical frames 11 and horizontal frames 12, and the inner surface of the side panel 3 is approximately flush with the inner surfaces of the vertical frames 11 and horizontal frames 12.

The rear panel 4 shields the storage space SP from the rear. The exposed rear surface of the rear panel 4 is approximately flush with the rear side surfaces of the adjacent vertical frames 11 and horizontal frames 12, and the front surface of the rear panel 3 is approximately flush with the front side surfaces of the vertical frames 11 and horizontal frames 12.

As shown in Figures 5 to 8, a thin groove 31 that is recessed downward and opens upward is formed on the upper end surface and center of the thickness direction of the side panel 3 or rear panel 4. Similarly, a thin groove 31 that is recessed upward and opens downward is formed on the lower end surface and center of the thickness direction of the side panel 3 or rear panel 4. These grooves 31 extend in the width direction of the side panel 3 or rear panel 4 with a uniform cross-sectional shape.

A locking member 5 is attached to the upper and lower end faces of the side panel 3 or the back panel 4. The locking member 5 serves to hold the side panel 3 or the back panel 4 to the frame structure 1. The locking member 5 may be made as a resin molded product, or may be made by stamping and pressing a sheet metal material. As shown in Figures 5 to 8, the locking member 5 has a substantially horizontal connecting portion 51, a locking portion 52 connected to one of the two ends of the short side direction of the connecting portion 51 and standing or hanging down substantially vertically therefrom, and an insertion portion 53 connected to the other end and hanging or hanging down substantially vertically therefrom. These connecting portion 51, locking portion 52, and insertion portion 53 extend along the width direction of the corresponding side panel 3 or back panel 4, but the width dimension is smaller than the width dimension of the side panel 3 or back panel 4.

The connecting portion 51 connects the locking portion 52 and the insertion portion 53, and is a portion that abuts against the upper and lower end faces of the side panel 3 or the back panel 4. The dimension of the connecting portion 51 in the short side direction is approximately half the thickness dimension of the side panel 3 or the back panel 4.

The locking portion 52 is a portion that is inserted into the gap 7 between the side surface of the horizontal frame 12 and the end surface of the adjacent shelf board 2 when the side panel 3 or rear panel 4 is placed on the framework structure 1. The locking portion 52 has a protrusion 54 that bulges out in the front-to-rear direction. In addition, a notch 55 is formed in the locking portion 52 at a portion that may interfere with the hook 14 that supports the shelf board 2.

The insertion portion 53 is a portion that is inserted and fitted into the groove 31 formed in the upper and lower end faces of the side panel 3 or the back panel 4. The insertion portion 53 is also provided with a protrusion 56 that bulges in the front-to-rear direction. There are multiple protrusions 56 on the insertion portion 53, some of which bulge forward from the insertion portion 53, and others that bulge backward.

To attach the locking members 5 to the side panel 3 or the back panel 4, the insertion portion 53 is inserted from above or below into the groove 31 that opens into the upper and lower end faces, and the connecting portion 51 is attached to the upper and lower end faces. As a result, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, the locking portions 52 of each locking member 5 are positioned near the inner surface of the side panel 3 or near the front surface of the back panel 4, and each locking portion 52 protrudes upward and downward from the upper and lower end faces of the side panel 3 or the back panel 4, respectively.

It goes without saying that the locking member 5 can be removed from the side panel 3 or the back panel 4 by removing the insertion portion 53 from the groove 31. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the back panel 4 is reversible. Even if the back panel 4 is inverted so that the rear surface becomes the front surface and the front surface becomes the rear surface, by subsequently reattaching the locking members 5 to the upper and lower end surfaces of the back panel 4, the locking portion 52 of the locking member 5 can be positioned in the correct position, i.e., near the front surface of the back panel 4, as shown in Figures 5 to 7.

When attaching a side panel 3 or a back panel 4 to the framework structure 1, first attach a hook 14 to the horizontal frame 12 located directly below the target side panel 3 or back panel 4, and then place and support a shelf board 2 on the hook 14. At this time, the hook 14 may be attached to the horizontal frame 12 located directly above the target side panel 3 or back panel 4, but the shelf board 2 is not yet placed on it.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower end surface of the side panel 3 or back panel 4 with the locking members 5 attached to the upper and lower end surfaces is brought into contact with the upward surface of the horizontal frame 12 directly below. Then, the locking portion 52 protruding downward from the lower end surface of the side panel 3 or back panel 4 is inserted from above into the gap 7 between the side surface of the horizontal frame 12 and the end surface of the shelf board 2 adjacent to it. The hook 14 already attached to the horizontal frame 12 fits into the notch 55 formed in the locking portion 52.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the upper part of the side panel 3 or back panel 4 is displaced from inside to outside (from inside to outside for the side panel 3, and from front to rear for the back panel 4) so that its upper end face faces the downward surface of the horizontal frame 12 directly above. The locking portion 52 protruding upward from the upper end face of the side panel 3 or back panel 4 abuts or comes close to the side of the horizontal frame 12 directly above. The hook 14 to be attached to that horizontal frame 12 can pass through the notch 55 formed in the locking portion 52 and fits within the notch 55.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 7, hooks 14 are attached to the horizontal frame 12 located directly above the side panel 3 or back panel 4, and the shelf board 2 is placed on the hooks 14 to support it. As a result, the locking parts 52 protruding upward from the upper end surface of the side panel 3 or back panel 4 are inserted from below into the gap 7 between the side surface of the horizontal frame 12 and the end surface of the adjacent shelf board 2. As a result, the upper and lower locking parts 52 of the side panel 3 or back panel 4 are sandwiched between the horizontal frame 12 and the shelf board 2, respectively, and the side panel 3 or back panel 4 is secured to the framework structure 1 and the shelf board 2.

In this embodiment, the door 6 is provided in front of the left and right storage spaces SP of the upper stage, so that these storage spaces SP can be used as lockers. In this case, if we focus on the locker formed in the right storage space SP of the upper stage, the right side panel 3 provided with the slide hinge 60 that supports the front panel so that it can move relative to the storage space SP corresponds to the first side panel, and the left side panel 3 without the slide hinge 60 corresponds to the second side panel. In this embodiment, the door 6 is provided with a dial lock 61, and the engagement part 63 with which the deadbolt 62 of the dial lock 61 engages is provided on the second side panel. The locker formed in the left storage space SP of the upper stage also has a configuration similar to that of the locker formed in the right storage space SP of the upper stage described above. Here, although not shown, when the door 6 is provided in front and the storage space SP is formed as a locker, the shelf board 2 forming the upper and lower panels is fixed to the side panel 3 with an L-shaped metal fitting to prevent the shelf board 2 from jumping up.

In addition, when the door 6 is closed, a gap SL is provided between the upper edge of the door 6 and the lower edge of the opposing horizontal frame 12, and documents, etc. can be inserted into this gap SL.

In this embodiment, side panels 3 that do not have any hinges 60 can be attached to the left and right sides of the storage space SP that does not form a locker. This side panel 3 is reversible, so even if the outer surface of the side panel 3 is inverted so that it becomes the inner surface and the inner surface becomes the rear surface of the outer surface, by reattaching the locking members 5 to the upper and lower end surfaces of the side panel 3, the locking portions 52 of the locking members 5 can be positioned in the correct position, i.e., near the inner surface of the side panel 3, as shown in Figures 5 to 7.

Here, FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the shelf S of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the shelf S. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the shelf S. In FIG. 3, a part of the shelf board 2 forming the upper surface of the shelf S is cut away. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the shelf S. FIGS. 5 to 7 are all front cross-sectional views of the main parts of the shelf S of this embodiment, which are enlarged. FIG. 5 shows the state before the side panel 3 is attached to the horizontal frame 12. FIG. 6 shows the state after the work of attaching the side panel 3 to the horizontal frame 12 has been performed and before the shelf board 2, which is the upper panel, is attached. FIG. 7 shows the state after the shelf board 2, which is the upper panel, has been attached. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the side panel 3 and the locking member 5 of this embodiment.

As explained above, the shelf S of this embodiment forms a framework structure 1 with frames 11 and 12, and a storage space SP is formed by attaching side panels 3, etc. to this framework structure 1, and the locker door 6 (front panel) is supported by the side panel 3. Therefore, the front panel supported by the side panel 3 can be arranged in a desired position simply by replacing the side panel 3 or changing the mounting position. In other words, with this configuration, the locker door 6 can be moved to a position corresponding to a different storage space SP while the side panel 3 remains attached to the locker door 6 via the hinge 60. Therefore, it is possible to move the position of the door 6, in other words the position of the locker, to a position corresponding to another storage space SP without the need for complicated screwing and unscrewing work to attach and detach the hinge 60.

In addition, this shelf S has a pair of left and right side panels 3 between the front and rear vertical frames 11 that divide the storage space SP into left and right sides so that they fit within the width of the vertical frame 11 when viewed from the front, so the side panels 3 are not conspicuous and the storage space SP is not unduly narrowed by the side panels 3. In particular, in this shelf S, the second side panel 3 that does not have the hinge 60, which is a movable auxiliary device, has a thickness that corresponds to the width of the approximately vertical frame 11, so that the side of the vertical frame 11 and the inner surface of the side panel 3 can be made approximately flush. This makes it possible to prevent or suppress steps from getting in the way when putting items in and taking them out of the storage space SP or when opening and closing the door.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper panel (shelf board 2) that defines the upper part of the storage space SP and the lower panel (shelf board 2) that defines the lower part of the storage space SP are arranged to be erected between the front and rear frames (horizontal frames 12), so that they work together with the front panel (door 6) to ensure safety within the storage space SP.

In addition, in this embodiment, a gap SL is formed between the upper edge of the front panel (door 6) and the lower edge of the opposing frame (horizontal frame 12), making it possible to drop letters, pamphlets, and the like into the storage space SP. And as long as the gap SL is set to a dimension that prevents a hand from being inserted too deeply into the storage space SP, it is possible to achieve both safety and convenience within the storage space SP.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

In the above embodiment, the front panel that serves as the locker door is supported by the side panel, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. For example, as described below, the present invention also includes a storage section (drawer storage unit) that is integral with the front panel and supported by the side panel. In this case, the storage section is supported by the side panel via a slide rail (movable auxiliary device).

The shelf described above has been described as having multiple cubic storage spaces, but the present invention also includes configurations that combine cubic storage spaces and rectangular storage spaces, or configurations that only have rectangular storage spaces.

For example, the shelf SS shown in Figures 9 and 10 has three cubic storage spaces SP in the upper tier, and a cubic storage space SP and a rectangular parallelepiped storage space SP arranged adjacent to each other in the middle and lower tiers. In this embodiment, for example, the central and right storage spaces SP in the upper tier are provided with doors 6 conforming to the above-mentioned embodiment to form personal lockers, and two narrow drawers 91 (drawer storage units) are arranged in the left storage space SP in the middle tier, and a wide drawer 92 is provided in the right storage space SP in the lower tier. Here, each drawer 91 in the middle tier has a front panel 911 and a storage section 912 formed integrally with this front panel 911, and is slidably supported by the side panels 3 that define both sides of the storage space SP via slide rails 910. The lower drawer 92 includes a wide front panel 921 that covers the front of the rectangular storage space SP, and a storage section 922 that is integral with the front panel 921, and is slidably supported by the side panels 3 that define both sides of the storage space SP via slide rails 920. SL2 is a gap that is formed between the upper edge of the front panel 921 and the lower edge of the horizontal frame when the lower drawer 92 is closed. A similar gap is also formed between the upper edge of the front panel 911 and the lower edge of the horizontal frame 12 when the upper drawer 91 of the middle drawers 91 is closed. Furthermore, when the lower drawer 91 of the middle drawers 91 is closed, a gap is also formed between the upper edge of the front panel 911 of that drawer 91 and the lower edge of the front panel 911 of the drawer 91 located above. The other parts of the shelf SS described above with reference to Figures 9 and 10 have the same or similar configurations as the corresponding parts of the shelf S described above with reference to Figures 1 to 8, so they are given the same reference numerals and their explanations are omitted.

With this configuration, for example, it is possible to move the two middle drawers 91 to the left storage space SP of the upper level or the left storage space SP of the lower level simply by replacing the side panel 3. Similarly, it is also possible to relocate the wide drawer 92 on the lower level to the right storage space SP of the middle level simply by replacing the side panel 3.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 8, an example has been described in which the vertical frame 11 (pillar) located in the middle in the left-right direction has the horizontal frames 12 directly connected from both sides, but it is also possible to prepare partial frame structure units that have vertical frames only on both ends, and connect multiple partial frame structure units to form a single frame structure. In this case, where the side panels that make up the partition are located, the vertical frames of adjacent units are connected in a double abutting state.

The frame is not limited to the embodiment described above, and may include main frames 11, 12 that form the storage space, and secondary frames A11, A12 that are detachably attached to the main frames 11, 12 to divide the storage space into smaller storage spaces. To be more specific, the upper part of FIG. 11 shows a shelf S3 in which a storage space that is a horizontally long rectangular parallelepiped is formed by the main vertical frame 11 and horizontal frame 12. This shelf S3 is designed to divide the above-mentioned two-module-wide storage space SP(1) into a pair of small storage spaces SP(2) each one module wide by connecting the centers of the four horizontal frames 12 (main frames) arranged at the front, rear, top, and bottom, each set to a length of two modules, with a horizontal frame A12 and a vertical frame A11 (secondary frame) each one module long. This allows for a more diverse reconfiguration.

Here, in the embodiment shown with reference to FIG. 11, the secondary horizontal frame A12 may be omitted. In other words, a partition board or the like may be erected between the secondary vertical frames A11 to divide the storage space SP(1) having a width of two modules into a pair of smaller storage spaces SP(2) having a width of one module. In this case, the secondary vertical frame A11 forms the framework of the shelf S3. Furthermore, the secondary vertical frame A11 may be omitted, and the storage space may be divided by erecting a partition board or the like between the secondary horizontal frames A12. In this case, the secondary horizontal frame A12 forms the framework of the shelf S3.

In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, examples have been described in which the multiple storage spaces are all open in the same direction, but the opening directions of the multiple storage spaces may be made different from each other, so that the opening and closing directions of the doors and drawers are also made different from each other.

In more detail, a shelf S4 in which the door 6 as the front panel is supported by a hinge 60 as a movable auxiliary device has a plurality of storage spaces SP arranged vertically, and the front faces of the vertically adjacent storage spaces SP are set in different directions, so that the doors 6 of the upper and lower stages can be opened and closed in different directions (corresponding to the invention described in claim 6). Specifically, for example, the shelf S4 shown in FIG. 12 has three cubic storage spaces SP arranged vertically, and the front faces of the storage spaces are set in different directions in absolute coordinates. Specifically, the front face direction L of the upper storage space SP and the front face direction M of the middle storage space SP are horizontally different by 90 degrees, and the front face direction M of the middle storage space SP and the front face direction N of the lower storage space SP are horizontally different by 180 degrees. With this configuration, the doors 6 on the front of each storage space SP can be opened and closed in different directions, making it possible to avoid congestion even if people gather at the same time to access each door 6.

On the other hand, a shelf S5 in which a drawer storage body 93 in which a storage section 932 is integrated with a front plate 931 is supported by a sliding rail (not shown) as a movable auxiliary device can be exemplified by a shelf S5 in which storage spaces SP are provided in multiple levels in the vertical direction, and the front faces of adjacent storage spaces SP are set in different directions from each other, so that the drawer storage bodies 93 in the upper and lower levels can slide in different directions (corresponding to the invention described in claim 8). Specifically, for example, the shelf S6 shown in FIG. 13 has three cubic storage spaces SP provided in the vertical direction, and the front faces of the storage spaces SP are set in different directions from each other. Specifically, the front face direction L of the upper storage space SP and the front face direction M of the middle storage space SP are horizontally different by 90 degrees, and the front face direction M of the middle storage space SP and the front face direction N of the lower storage space SP are horizontally different by 180 degrees. With this configuration, the drawers (drawer storage units 93) provided at the front of each storage space SP can be slid in different directions, making it possible to avoid congestion even when people gather together to access each drawer storage unit 93. Note that although the shelf shown in Figures 12 and 13 only has three storage spaces SP arranged vertically in three tiers, the shelf can also be applied to shelves with multiple storage spaces SP. In this case, it is not necessary to make the orientation of all storage spaces different from each other, and various modifications are possible, such as making the orientation of only some storage spaces different from the orientation of the other storage spaces.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 12 and 13, for each storage space SP, a side panel 3 is provided on the surface adjacent to the surface defined by the door 6 or front panel 931, and a back panel 4 is provided on the surface opposite the surface defined by the door 6 or front panel 931.

In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the side panels that define the sides of the storage space are provided with hinges or slide rails as movable aids, but the upper panel that defines the upper part of the storage space and the lower panel that defines the lower part may also be provided with movable aids. That is, a shelf that embodies such a technical idea is a shelf that forms a skeleton with a frame and can form multiple cubic or rectangular storage spaces, in which the upper or lower part of the storage space is provided with an upper or lower panel that fits approximately within the width of the frame when viewed from the front and that defines the upper and lower parts of the storage space between the front and rear frames, and a front panel or a storage section that is integral with the front panel can be provided so as to be movable relative to the storage space, and at least one of the upper or lower panels can be selectively attached to a first upper or lower panel that is integrally provided with a movable aid that supports the front panel or the storage section so that it can move relative to the storage space, and a second upper or lower panel that does not have a movable aid and has a thickness that corresponds to approximately the width of the frame (corresponding to the invention described in claim 9). Specifically, Fig. 14 shows a schematic diagram of shelf S6, which is an example in which a sliding hinge 60, a movable auxiliary device that supports door B6, the front panel, is supported on top panel 21 that defines the upper part of storage space SP. Meanwhile, Fig. 15 shows a schematic diagram of shelf S7, which is an example in which a sliding hinge 60, a movable auxiliary device that supports door C6, the front panel, is supported on bottom panel 22 that defines the lower part of the storage space. The movable auxiliary device that is integrally provided on the top panel or bottom panel can be modified in various ways depending on the object to be supported, such as the front panel, and may be something other than the hinge or sliding rail described above.

The other parts of shelves S3 to S7 described above with reference to Figures 11 to 15 have the same or similar configurations as the corresponding parts of shelf S described above with reference to Figures 1 to 8, so they are given the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

Furthermore, the idea of providing a movable aid on a side panel that defines the side of the storage space and the idea of providing a movable aid on an upper or lower panel that defines the upper or lower part of the storage space can be realized by mixing them in one shelf. An example of a shelf that embodies this technical idea is a shelf that forms a skeleton with a frame and can form multiple cubic or rectangular storage spaces, in which left and right side panels, upper panels, and lower panels that have a thickness that corresponds approximately to the width of the frame and that fit approximately within the width of the frame when viewed from the front can be positioned between the front and rear frames on the left and right sides, upper panels, and lower panels on the left and right sides, upper panels, and lower panels that have a thickness that corresponds approximately to the width of the frame and fit approximately within the width of the frame when viewed from the front, and in which a front panel or a storage unit that is integral with the front panel can be placed on the front of the storage space, and a movable aid that supports the front panel or the storage unit so that it can move relative to the storage space can be integrally provided on the inner surface of at least one of the side panels, upper panels, and lower panels (corresponding to the invention described in claim 10).

The configuration for supporting the side panels, top panel, and bottom panel in a manner that allows the position or posture of the panel to be changed relative to the frame is not limited to that described above, and various structures can be adopted without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

S, SS, S3 to S7...Shelf 11...(Main) Frame (Vertical Frame)
A11...Subordinate frame (vertical frame)
12... (Main) Frame (Horizontal Frame)
A12...Subordinate frame (horizontal frame)
2...Top plate, bottom plate (shelf plate)
21: Upper panel; 22: Lower panel; 3: Side panel; 6: Front panel (door)
60... Movable aid (slide hinge)
91, 92, 93...Storage section (drawer storage body)
910... Movable aid (slide rail)
920... Movable aid (slide rail)
SP, SP(1), SP(2)…Storage space

Claims (10)

A shelf that can form a skeleton with a frame and form a plurality of cubic or rectangular storage spaces,
A pair of left and right side panels that are substantially within the width of the frame when viewed from the front and that divide the storage space into left and right sides are disposed between the front and rear frames at the sides of the storage space,
The front panel or the storage section formed integrally with the front panel can be provided movably with respect to the storage space,
A shelf in which at least one of a pair of side panels can be selectively attached to either a first side panel having an integral movable support device that supports the front panel or the storage section so that it can move relative to the storage space, or a second side panel that does not have a movable support device and has a thickness that corresponds approximately to the width of the frame. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a main frame that forms the storage space, and a secondary frame that is attached to the main frame and divides the storage space into smaller storage spaces. The shelf according to claim 1, in which an upper panel that defines the upper portion of the storage space and a lower panel that defines the lower portion of the storage space are arranged to be spanned between the front and rear frames. The shelf according to claim 1, wherein a gap is provided at the lower edge of the frame opposite the upper edge of the front panel. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the front panel is a door and the movable aid is a hinge. The shelf according to claim 4, in which the storage spaces are provided in multiple levels in the vertical direction, the front faces of the storage spaces adjacent to each other on the top and bottom are set in different directions, and the doors of the upper and lower levels are configured to be opened and closed in different directions. The shelf according to claim 1, wherein the storage section is a drawer storage unit and the movable auxiliary device is a slide rail. The shelf according to claim 4, in which the storage spaces are provided in multiple levels in the vertical direction, the front faces of the storage spaces adjacent to each other are set in different directions, and the drawers of the upper and lower levels are configured to slide in different directions. A shelf that can form a skeleton with a frame and form a plurality of cubic or rectangular storage spaces,
At the upper or lower part of the storage space, an upper panel or a lower panel that is substantially within the width of the frame when viewed from the front and that divides the storage space into upper and lower parts is disposed between the front and rear frames,
The front panel or the storage section formed integrally with the front panel can be provided movably with respect to the storage space,
At least one of the upper plate and the lower plate includes a first upper plate or a lower plate integrally provided with a movable support member that supports the front plate or the storage section so that the front plate or the storage section can move relative to the storage space;
A shelf that does not have a movable auxiliary member and can be selectively attached to a second upper or lower panel having a thickness approximately corresponding to the width of the frame. A shelf that can form a skeleton with a frame and form a plurality of cubic or rectangular storage spaces,
At the left and right sides, the top, and the bottom of the storage space, left and right side panels, top panels, and bottom panels having a thickness that corresponds to approximately the width of the frame and that fit within the width of the frame when viewed from the front can be positioned between the front and rear frames, respectively;
A front panel or a storage section integral with the front panel can be disposed on the front surface of the storage space,
A shelf in which a movable support device can be integrally provided on the inner surface of at least one of the side panels, the top panel, and the bottom panel, to support the front panel or the storage section so that it can move relative to the storage space.

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