JP7540296B2 - stool - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act On April 11, 2020, Sekisui House Co., Ltd. unveiled the "Stool" invented by Maehara Shoichi in the "Yamamoto House, an active senior home" exhibition home at Sekisui House Co., Ltd.'s "Kanto Dream Home Factory."

The present invention relates to a stool that combines design and strength.

In general, outdoor structures installed on the exteriors of buildings and in parks are known to be important factors that determine the overall impression of the exterior of the building or the outdoor space in which they are installed. For this reason, many outdoor structures are designed with consideration given to design, and benches with good appearances have been proposed for some time (for example, Patent Document 1).

The invention described in Patent Document 1 describes a bench in which the fasteners joining the leg-forming members and the seat-forming members are covered and concealed with a cover material. With this invention, miscellaneous fasteners such as bolts and nuts are not exposed on the outside, making it possible to improve the aesthetic appearance of the bench. In addition, the seating surface is formed by arranging multiple wooden crosspieces with small gaps between them, which is designed to prevent rainwater from accumulating on the seating surface when it rains.

JP 10-146243 A

However, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, the leg-forming members are not made of natural materials, so it is difficult to balance the overall exterior in places such as parks with lots of vegetation or the main gardens of homes that are surrounded by plantings. In addition, although the joints are concealed, a cover material is installed, so there are more parts than in benches where only the leg-forming members and seat-forming members are exposed on the front side, and the appearance may give the impression of being cluttered. On the other hand, seating furniture used outdoors, such as benches, needs to be weather-resistant and strong enough to withstand wind and rain, so it is important that the furniture combines strength as well as design.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a stool that can be used outdoors and has both design and strength.

The first stool of the present invention is a stool consisting of a pair of leg members that are erected at a distance from each other and a horizontal member that forms a seat, and the pair of leg members each consisting of a plurality of vertical bars connected and fixed to each other at a predetermined distance, and the horizontal member each consisting of a plurality of horizontal bars connected and fixed to each other at the predetermined distance, wherein both longitudinal ends of each of the plurality of horizontal bars are joined to the upper ends of the plurality of vertical bars by miter joint processing, and the stool is characterized in that the stool is composed of a first connecting member that is fixed across the plurality of vertical bars and connects the plurality of vertical bars, and a second connecting member that is fixed across the plurality of horizontal bars and connects the plurality of horizontal bars, the first connecting member being fixed to the side of the vertical bar facing adjacent leg members, and the second connecting member being fixed across the lower surface of the horizontal bar and the side of the vertical bar.

The second stool of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a reinforcing material installed between the first connecting material fixed to one of the leg members and the first connecting material fixed to the other leg member, reinforcing the strength of the pair of leg members, and the reinforcing material is installed at a position a certain distance away from each widthwise edge of each of the pair of leg members.

According to the first stool of the present invention, the pair of leg members are formed by connecting and fixing multiple vertical bars at a specified interval, and the horizontal member is formed by connecting and fixing multiple horizontal bars at a specified interval. Therefore, rainwater can be prevented from accumulating on the seat during rainy weather. In addition, since both ends of the horizontal bars are joined to the upper ends of the vertical bars by miter joint processing, the ends of the vertical and horizontal bars and bolts and other connectors are not exposed, resulting in a stool with a clean appearance and high design quality.

According to the first stool of the present invention, the first connecting members connecting the vertical bars are fixed to the side surfaces of the vertical bars facing the adjacent leg members, and the second connecting members connecting the horizontal bars are fixed across the lower surface of the horizontal bar and the side surfaces of the vertical bars. Therefore, the first and second connecting members are installed in positions that are difficult to see from the outside, rather than in places that are easily visible, such as the seat surface or the front side of the leg members, so that the stool has a high design quality. In addition, the number of vertical and horizontal bars can be increased or decreased by adjusting the length of each connecting member, so that the length of the stool can be easily adjusted according to the installation location, the number of users, etc.

According to the second stool of the present invention, the reinforcing material is installed at a position a certain distance away from each widthwise edge of each of a pair of leg members, making it less noticeable from the outside and resulting in a stool with a more aesthetically pleasing design.

FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. Cross-sectional view of line AA in Figure 2. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a state in which multiple stools are arranged side by side without aligning their orientation. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a state in which multiple stools are arranged side by side with their orientations aligned.

The best embodiment of the stool of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The stool of the present application is a seating piece of furniture without a backrest that is placed on the terrace or main garden of a detached house, and is primarily used as an outdoor structure, but can also be used in indoor spaces such as parks and waiting rooms at train stations. In this embodiment, the "side surface of the vertical bar facing the adjacent leg members" of the present invention corresponds to the third side surface 21c.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the stool 1 of the present application is a U-shaped piece of furniture for one person, with a horizontal member 3 forming a seat 3a installed between a pair of leg members 2 that are spaced apart from each other. As shown in the figures, each of the pair of leg members 2 is formed by connecting and fixing a number of vertical bars 21 together, and the horizontal member 3 is formed by connecting and fixing a number of horizontal bars 31 together. The vertical bars 21 and horizontal bars 31 are made of the same material, and extend in different directions.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the vertical bar 21 is a wooden block that is rectangular in cross section and extends vertically. The top surface 21a of the vertical bar 21 is inclined at 45 degrees from the first side 22a toward the opposing second side 22b, and the second side 22b is formed so that it is lower than the first side 22a. The dimensions of the vertical bar 21 are not particularly limited, but it is desirable to form the length of the first side 22a side to be about 28 mm to 32 mm, and the width of the first side 21b perpendicular to the first side 22a to be about 38 mm to 42 mm, and furthermore, it is preferable to form the first side 22a side to be 30 mm, and the width of the first side 21b to be 40 mm. In addition, the height H1 of the vertical bar 21 shown in Figure 3 is formed to be about 380 mm to 420 mm, and with such dimensional relationship, it is possible to stably support a person sitting on the stool 1.

As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the horizontal bar 31 is a wooden block extending horizontally, and both end faces 31a in the longitudinal direction are inclined. Both end faces 31a are inclined so that the lower side 32a is located closer to the center of the horizontal bar 31 in the longitudinal direction than the upper side 32b, and the inclination angle is 45 degrees. The length of the upper side 32b of the horizontal bar 31 is the same as the length of the first side 22a of the vertical bar 21, and the height of the second side 31b perpendicular to the upper side 32b is the same as the width of the first side 21b of the vertical bar 21. The length L1 of the horizontal bar 31 is approximately 340 mm to 380 mm.

The vertical bars 21 and horizontal bars 31 are made of weather-resistant hardwood such as balau wood, and when used as an outdoor structure, they will harmonize with the surrounding vegetation and stone materials over time, maintaining the overall balance of the exterior. Furthermore, as long as the bars 21 and 31 have the dimensions and materials described above, general-purpose products may be used, or wooden louver materials commonly used as outdoor fencing materials may be used.

As shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6, the multiple vertical bars 21 constituting each leg member 2 are erected with the first sides 22a aligned and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance L2. These vertical bars 21 are also connected and fixed to each other by a first connecting member 4 that is fixed across each vertical bar 21. The first connecting member 4 is a long flat bar that is fixed to the third side surface 21c on the second side 22b side of each vertical bar 21 and to the lower end of the third side surface 21c with screws (not shown). The leg member 2 thus formed has an overall length L3 in the width direction shown in Figure 3 that is the same as the length L1 of the horizontal bar 31.

As shown in the figure, a pair of leg members 2 are erected with a gap between them, with the third side surfaces 21c of the vertical bars 21 facing each other, and multiple horizontal bars 31 are installed between them. As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the multiple horizontal bars 31 are arranged so that both end surfaces 31a in the longitudinal direction abut the upper surfaces 21a of the vertical bars 21 constituting the pair of leg members 2, so that they are spaced apart by a predetermined distance L2. The multiple horizontal bars 31 are connected and fixed by second connecting members 5 fixed across each horizontal bar 31. The second connecting member 5 is a long L-shaped angle member, and as shown in Figure 2, the corner portion is installed along the corner formed by the lower surface 31c of the horizontal bar 31 and the third side surface 21c of the vertical member 21, and is fixed to each surface with screws (not shown). In this way, each horizontal bar 31 has both ends 33 in the length direction joined to the upper end 23 of each vertical bar 21 by miter joint processing, so the area around the joint with the vertical bar 21 can be made neat.

The specified distance L2 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is approximately 2.5 mm to 4 mm, and preferably 3 mm. Such a distance can effectively prevent rainwater from accumulating on the seat surface 3a during rainy weather. Also, by spacing the vertical bars 21 and the horizontal bars 31 apart, the weight of the entire stool 1 can be reduced, making the stool 1 easier to carry. In this case, the multiple vertical bars 21 are mitered one by one with each horizontal bar 31, so that the end faces of each bar 21, 31 are not exposed on the front side, resulting in a stool 1 with a highly aesthetic design.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, a reinforcing member 6 is installed between the first connecting member 4 fixed to one leg member 2 and the first connecting member 4 fixed to the other leg member 2 to reinforce the strength of the pair of leg members 2. The reinforcing member 6 has a flat bar 61 installed between each of the first connecting members 4, and two angle pieces 62 that join the flat bar 61 and the first connecting member 4. The reinforcing member 6 is installed by orienting both longitudinal ends of the flat bar 61 toward the fourth side surface 41a of each first connecting member 4, aligning the corners of each angle piece 62 with the corners formed by the fourth side surface 41a of the first connecting member 4 and the fifth side surface 61a, which is one side surface of the flat bar 61, and fixing them to the respective surfaces 41a, 61a with screws (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 5, two sets of the reinforcing members 6 are installed for each pair of leg members 2, and each reinforcing member 6 is located at a position at least a certain distance L4 away from each edge 24 in the width direction of each pair of leg members 2. The distance L4 from each edge 24 in the width direction of the leg members 2 to the reinforcing members 6 is preferably about 90 mm to 120 mm or more. At such a distance, the reinforcing members 6 are difficult to see from the outside, and the stool has a high design quality. Furthermore, it is preferable that each angle piece 62 is installed on the side of the flat bar 61 opposite the side of the edge 24 that is closest to it. By adjusting the installation position of the angle piece 62 in this way, miscellaneous parts such as the joint between the flat bar 61 and the first connecting member 4 can be made difficult to see, and the aesthetics of the stool 1 can be further improved.

The first connecting member 4, the second connecting member 5, and the reinforcing member 6 are made of aluminum with a thickness of about 2 mm, and the surface is painted. It is preferable that the paint color is the same or similar to that of the leg member 2 and the horizontal member 3, and by using such a color, the appearance of the stool 1 can be made to look natural. In this application, the same color includes colors that have the same measured values in each color system standardized in JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) or colors that have the same color chart number of standard colors for paints specified by the Japan Paint Manufacturers Association, as well as colors that are perceived by humans to be approximately the same when visually observed, even if the measured values or color chart numbers are different.

The weight of the stool 1 thus formed is about 15kg to 20kg, and with such a weight, it can be stably erected without falling over even in light wind and rain, and can also be carried around depending on the situation. In this embodiment, a stool for one person is described, but since the vertical bars 21 and horizontal bars 31 are connected and fixed by the respective connecting members 4, 5 and reinforcing member 6, the overall length of the stool 1 can be easily adjusted. That is, for example, if it is desired to extend the overall length of the stool 1, the number of vertical bars 21 and horizontal bars 31 can be increased by replacing the first connecting member 4 and the second connecting member 5 with longer ones or by adding them, and the length of the stool 1 can be extended. In this case, even if the number of horizontal bars 31 is increased, no joints are visible in the horizontal member 3 that becomes the seat surface 3a, so a stool with high aesthetics and that harmonizes with the surrounding exterior can be constructed.

The stool 1 of the present application can also be combined to create furniture on which multiple people can sit comfortably, without having to extend the overall length as described above. That is, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, if multiple stools 1 are placed side by side with no distance between them, they can be used like a long bench. In this case, the overall style of the stools can be easily changed by aligning or differing the orientation of the leg members 2. Also, if three stools 1 are placed side by side with some distance between them, and people sit on the stools 1 on either side of the central stool 1, the central stool 1 can be used as a table.

Furthermore, if the stool 1 and fence material, which are made of matching materials, are used together as outdoor structures, the overall exterior can be more harmonious, creating a unified outdoor space.

The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the concept of the present invention.

The stool of the present invention can be ideally used in the main garden or terrace of a detached house.

1 Stool 2 Leg member 21 Vertical bar member 21c Third side surface (side surface of the vertical bar member facing the adjacent leg member)
24 Each end edge in the width direction of the leg member 3 Horizontal member 31 Horizontal bar member 31a Both ends in the length direction of the horizontal bar member 31b Lower surface of the horizontal bar member 3a Seat surface 4 First connecting member 5 Second connecting member 6 Reinforcing member L2 Predetermined interval L4 Constant interval

Claims (2)

A stool having a pair of legs spaced apart from each other and a horizontal member that forms a seating surface between the legs.
The pair of leg members each include a plurality of vertical bars connected and fixed to each other at a predetermined interval;
The horizontal member is formed by connecting and fixing a plurality of horizontal bars to each other at the predetermined intervals,
each of the horizontal bars is joined at both ends in a longitudinal direction to the upper ends of the vertical bars by a miter joint ;
A first connecting member is fixed across the plurality of vertical bars and connects the plurality of vertical bars to each other;
A second connecting member is fixed across the horizontal bars and connects the horizontal bars to each other.
The first connecting member is fixed to the side of the vertical bar member that faces the adjacent leg member,
A stool characterized in that the second connecting member is fixed across the lower surface of the horizontal bar and the side surface of the vertical bar . a reinforcing member that is installed between the first connecting member fixed to one of the leg members and the first connecting member fixed to the other leg member and reinforces the strength of the pair of leg members;
2. The stool according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing members are disposed at positions spaced a given distance from each of the widthwise edges of the pair of leg members.

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