Space forming furniture unit and space forming furniture

Abstract

To provide a space forming furniture unit and space forming furniture capable of simplifying a structure and reducing a product cost while securing sound absorbing performance without hindrance in a soundproofing surface.SOLUTION: A space forming furniture unit includes base wall panels 15A, 15B and a plurality of side wall panels 16A, 16B, 16C. The base wall panel forms working spaces 10A, 10B together with the plurality of side wall panels. The space forming furniture unit can transit to a connected furniture form and a single furniture form. Each working space is provided with an orienting function part for orienting a direction of a user opposite to a specific direction side. A surface of the base wall panel facing the working space is a sound absorbing function surface 22. In the side wall panel positioned on the specific direction side, a surface facing the working space on the specific direction side is a sound absorbing function surface. An additional side wall panel constituted of a panel having no sound absorbing function is further provided. The additional side wall panel is attached at the time of transition to the single furniture form.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a space-forming fixture unit that forms a work space for performing work such as office work, and to the space-forming fixture. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Space-forming fixture units (booth units) are known in offices, public facilities, and the like, in which a plurality of panels are connected to form a work space for performing work such as office work (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The space-forming fixture unit described in Patent Document 1 is composed of a first space-forming fixture that is roughly U-shaped in plan view, with side panels connected to both left and right ends of the front panel, and a second space-forming fixture that is roughly L-shaped in plan view, with side wall panels connected to only one left and right end of the front panel.

[0004] This space-forming fixture unit can be used as a connected fixture configuration by connecting a roughly U-shaped first space-forming fixture to a roughly L-shaped second space-forming fixture. Furthermore, this space-forming fixture unit can also be used as a standalone fixture configuration by detaching each space-forming fixture from the connected fixture configuration. Therefore, when this space-forming fixture unit is adopted, it becomes possible to flexibly change the usage configuration according to the user's requests for changes in usage or the need to change the layout of the room.

[0005] Furthermore, a panel body having a sound absorbing function on at least one of the front and back surfaces has been proposed for use in offices, public facilities, etc. (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0006] The panel body described in Patent Document 2 has a panel base material formed from multiple sheets of felt core material. In this panel body, the sound-absorbing function of the felt core material can reduce noise leakage inside the booth. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-27904 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6648378 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Incidentally, even in space-forming fixture units such as those described in Patent Document 1, it is desirable to provide sound-absorbing functionality to the panels surrounding the work space to reduce sound leakage from within the space-forming fixture. One possible solution to this problem is to place a sound-absorbing section on the surface of each panel facing the work space. In this case, sound-absorbing functional parts are placed on the inner surface of the front panel (the surface facing the work space) and on the inner surface of the side panels (the surfaces facing the work space) that are placed at both ends when in the connected fixture form, and sound-absorbing functional parts are placed on both sides of the side panels that separate adjacent work spaces that face the left and right work spaces.

[0009] However, with this measure, when switching the usage of a space-forming fixture unit from a connected fixture configuration to a standalone fixture configuration, if the side panel of the partition section is left as it is on one of the standalone fixtures, it is necessary to add another side panel with sound-absorbing functionality to the missing part of the remaining fixture.Side panels with sound-absorbing functionality generally have a complex structure and are expensive to manufacture.As a result, there are concerns that the product costs of the additional side panels will rise.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a space-forming fixture unit and space-forming fixture that can simplify the structure and reduce product costs while ensuring sound absorption performance without causing any problems in terms of soundproofing in the work space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, the space-forming fixture unit and the space-forming fixture according to the present invention employ the following configuration. A space-forming fixture unit according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of base wall panels each standing upright relative to a floor surface and arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the plate thickness direction, and a plurality of side wall panels extending in a direction intersecting the arrangement direction of the base wall panels in a plan view, wherein each of the base wall panels forms a work space together with two of the side wall panels arranged at a distance in the arrangement direction, and the booth unit is capable of transitioning between a connected fixture form in which two adjacent work spaces are connected with the common side wall panel in between, and a stand-alone fixture form in which the work spaces are each surrounded by the individual side wall panels and the base wall panel, and each of the work spaces is provided with an orientation function section that orients the user to face in a specific direction that is one side of the arrangement direction, and each of the base wall panels has a surface facing the work space. is a sound-absorbing surface having a sound-absorbing function, and of the two side wall panels that form the work space, the side wall panel located on the specific direction side has a surface that faces the work space in the specific direction as a sound-absorbing surface having a sound-absorbing function, and of the two side wall panels that form the work space when in the connected fixture form, the side wall panel located on the specific direction side is made so that at least the part that has the sound-absorbing function can be separated from the remaining booth on the specific direction side when transitioning from the connected fixture form to the single fixture form, and the fixture further comprises an additional side wall panel that is attached to the end of the remaining booth on the opposite side to the specific direction side when transitioning from the connected fixture form to the single fixture form, and the additional side wall panel is composed of a panel that does not have a sound-absorbing function.

[0012] In this space-forming fixture unit, whether it is a connected fixture or a standalone fixture, users using each work space are directed in a specific direction by the orientation function within the work space. In this case, the inner surfaces (the surfaces facing the user) of the base wall panel located approximately directly facing the user and the side wall panel on the specific direction side act as sound-absorbing surfaces. Therefore, the sounds emitted by users are absorbed by these sound-absorbing surfaces, reducing sound leakage to the outside. Furthermore, the surfaces of the side wall panels located on the opposite side of the specific direction of the work space that face the work space are not directly facing the user, so sound-absorbing functions are not necessary. In other words, sound absorption performance can be ensured without any problems in terms of soundproofing in each work space. Furthermore, when separating multiple work spaces (space-forming fixtures) with this type of space-forming fixture unit, at least the sound-absorbing portion of the side wall panel located on a specific side of the work space can be left as a component of that work space and separated from the remaining booths. In this case, additional side wall panels without sound-absorbing functionality are added to the remaining booths from which at least the sound-absorbing portion of the side wall panel has been lost. This eliminates the need for additional side wall panels with sound-absorbing functionality, simplifying the structure and reducing product costs. Furthermore, when the space-forming fixture unit of this configuration is switched from a connected fixture configuration to a standalone fixture configuration, an additional side wall panel can be attached to the end of the standalone booth opposite the specified direction in place of the side wall panel that was lost when the unit was separated, thereby increasing the rigidity and installation stability of the standalone booth.

[0013] Each of the work spaces may have a tabletop positioned between the user and the base wall panel, and the edge of the tabletop facing the user may have an inclined region in which the distance from the base wall panel increases as the tabletop approaches the side wall panel on the specific direction side, and the orientation function portion may be constituted by the inclined region.

[0014] In this case, when a user in the workspace approaches the inclined area on the edge of the tabletop, the user will be facing the vicinity of the corner between the base wall panel and the side wall panel on the specific direction. As a result, the voices and other sounds emitted by the user in the workspace will be absorbed by the sound-absorbing surfaces of the base wall panel and the side wall panel on the specific direction. Furthermore, when this configuration is adopted, it is possible to guide the user's posture so that the user is reliably facing the specific direction with a simple configuration.

[0015] In addition, one aspect of the present invention is a space-forming fixture comprising a base wall panel that stands upright against the floor and extends in one direction in a planar view, and a pair of side wall panels that extend in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the base wall panel in a planar view, and the base wall panel forms a work space together with the pair of side wall panels, and the work space is provided with an orientation function section that orients the user to face a specific direction that is one side of the extension direction of the base wall panel, and the surface of the base wall panel facing the work space is an sound-absorbing functional surface that has sound-absorbing function, and of the pair of side wall panels that form the work space, the side wall panel located on the specific direction side has a surface facing the work space in the specific direction that has sound-absorbing function, and the other side wall panel is composed of a panel that does not have sound-absorbing function.

[0016] In this form of space-forming fixture, a user using the workspace is directed in a specific direction by an orientation function unit within the workspace. At this time, the base wall panel positioned directly facing the user and the inner surface (the surface facing the user) of one of the side wall panels positioned on the specific side are sound-absorbing surfaces. Therefore, the sounds emitted by the user are absorbed by these sound-absorbing surfaces, reducing sound leakage to the outside. Furthermore, the surface of the other side wall panel facing the workspace is not directly facing the user, so there is no problem even if it does not have a sound-absorbing surface. In other words, sound absorption performance can be ensured without any soundproofing issues in the workspace. By preparing multiple space-forming fixtures of this type and removing at least a portion of the side wall panel opposite a specific direction from some of the space-forming fixtures, the space-forming fixtures can be connected to the side wall panels of other space-forming fixtures in the specific direction, allowing for use as a connected fixture configuration. In this case, too, in each workspace with the connected fixture configuration, workers will face the sound-absorbing surfaces of the base wall panel and the side wall panel in the specific direction. Therefore, even when using multiple space-forming fixtures in the connected fixture configuration, sound absorption performance without any soundproofing issues in the workspace can be ensured, while simplifying the structure and reducing product costs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to ensure sound absorption performance in a work space without causing any problems in terms of soundproofing, while simplifying the structure and reducing the product cost. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the booth unit (space-forming fixture unit) of the first embodiment when used in the form of a connected fixture. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the booth unit (space-forming fixture unit) of the first embodiment when used in the form of a connected fixture. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first panel body of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second panel body of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of attaching a second panel body to a first panel body in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the booth unit (space-forming fixture unit) of the first embodiment when it is transitioned from a connected fixture form to a single fixture form. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the first booth (space-forming fixture) of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] A plan view of a transformable booth unit (space-forming fixture unit) when it is transitioned from a connected fixture form to a standalone fixture form. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a plan view of the booth unit (space-forming fixture unit) of the second embodiment when used in the form of a connected fixture. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment described below, common parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and some overlapping explanations will be omitted. In the following description, expressions indicating relative or absolute arrangement, such as "parallel," "orthogonal," and "center," do not only mean such arrangement strictly, but also include a state in which there is a relative displacement with a tolerance or an angle or distance to the extent that the same function is obtained. In addition, in the drawings used in the following description, the scale of each component may be changed to make it recognizable.

[0020] First Embodiment Fig. 1 is a plan view of a booth unit 1, which is a space-forming fixture unit of this embodiment, when used in a connected fixture configuration, and Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the booth unit 1 when used in a connected fixture configuration. The "connected fixture configuration" refers to a usage configuration in which multiple work spaces 10A, 10B are connected together with a common side wall panel 16B in between. In this embodiment, the booth unit 1 forms two work spaces 10A, 10B when in the connected fixture form. That is, the booth unit 1 in this connected fixture form has two adjacent work spaces 10A, 10B. The booth unit 1 is used as a work space, a meeting space, etc. in, for example, offices, public facilities, schools, etc. The installation location of the booth unit is not limited to the above and can be changed as appropriate.

[0021] In the following description, each figure will appropriately show an XYZ coordinate system as a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinate system, the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction. The vertical direction is the direction perpendicular to the floor surface F on which the booth unit 1 is placed (corresponding to the up-down direction). Hereinafter, the +Z side (the side indicated by the arrow) may be referred to as "up." The X-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, and is the left-right direction of the booth unit 1. Hereinafter, the +X side (the side indicated by the arrow) may be referred to as "right." The Y-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, and is the front-to-back direction of the booth unit 1. Hereinafter, the +Y side (the side indicated by the arrow) may be referred to as "front."

[0022] The booth unit 1 includes a pair of base wall panels 15A, 15B, each of which stands upright relative to the floor surface F and extends in one direction (X direction) in a plan view. The base wall panels 15A, 15B are configured from a substantially rectangular panel material that is vertically long in the up-down direction. The two base wall panels 15A, 15B are arranged side by side in a direction (X direction) perpendicular to the thickness direction of each panel. In this embodiment, the two base wall panels 15A, 15B are arranged linearly side by side along the X direction. However, the base wall panels 15A, 15B may also be arranged with a slight offset in the Y direction.

[0023] The booth unit 1 further includes three side wall panels 16A, 16B, and 16C extending in a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the base wall panels 15A and 15B in a plan view. Each of the side wall panels 16A, 16B, and 16C stands upright relative to the floor surface F. Each of the side wall panels 16A, 16B, and 16C is formed of a vertically elongated, generally rectangular panel material. The three side wall panels 16A, 16B, and 16C are spaced apart at regular intervals in the X direction. Specifically, the side wall panel 16A abuts against and is connected to one end face of one base wall panel 15A in the X direction, and the side wall panel 16B abuts against and is connected to one end face of the other base wall panel 15B in the X direction. The latter side wall panel 16B also abuts against the other end face of one base wall panel 15A in the X direction. The side wall panel 16C is connected to the other end surface of the other base wall panel 15B in the X direction by being abutted against the other end surface. In this embodiment, the side wall panels 16A, 16B, and 16C extend in a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the base wall panels 15A and 15B in a plan view, but these extension directions do not necessarily have to be perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the base wall panels 15A and 15B. The extension directions of the side wall panels 16A, 16B, and 16C may be any direction that intersects with the arrangement direction of the base wall panels 15A and 15B in a plan view.

[0024] In addition, inclined panels 17B and 17C are connected to the extending ends (rear ends) of the side wall panels 16B and 16C, respectively. Each inclined panel 17B and 17C stands upright relative to the floor F. Each inclined panel 17B and 17C is made of a substantially rectangular panel material that is vertically elongated. Each inclined panel 17B and 17C has a narrower extending width than the base wall panels 15A and 15B. Each inclined panel 17B and 17C is inclined (inclined in plan view) so that the distance between each inclined panel 17B and the base wall panels 15A and 15B increases from the connecting portion with the side wall panels 16B and 16C toward one side in the X direction (+X side). One inclined panel 17B and the other inclined panel 17C are arranged parallel to each other.

[0025] In the connected fixture configuration shown in Figure 1, base wall panel 15A, side wall panels 16A and 16B, and inclined panel 17B form one work space 10A. There is a gap between the extended end of inclined panel 17B and the extended end of side wall panel 16A, and this gap serves as entrance / exit 18A that allows user p to enter and exit work space 10A.

[0026] Furthermore, the base wall panel 15B, the side wall panels 16B and 16C, and the inclined panel 17C form the other work space 10B. There is a gap between the extending end of the inclined panel 17C and the extending end of the central side wall panel 16B, and this gap serves as an entrance / exit 18B that allows a user p to enter and exit the work space 10B. The central side wall panel 16B functions as a partition that separates one work space 10A from the other work space 10B. In other words, the central side wall panel 16B is used both as a wall that forms one work space 10A and a wall that forms the other work space.

[0027] Each work space 10A, 10B is provided with a tabletop 20A, 20B, the upper surface 20a of which can be used for office work and other tasks. Each tabletop 20A, 20B is formed as a flat plate with a thickness in the vertical direction. One tabletop 20A is connected to the base wall panel 15A and the left and right side wall panels 16A, 16B in the work space 10A via brackets 21. The other tabletop 20B is connected to the base wall panel 15B and the left and right side wall panels 16B, 16C in the work space 10B via brackets 21 as well. In this embodiment, the upper surface 20a of each tabletop 20A, 20B is a substantially horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 1, the tabletop 20A, 20B is disposed between the user p and the base wall panels 15A, 15B in the corresponding work space 10A, 10B.

[0028] An edge 20e (hereinafter referred to as "front edge 20e") on the entrance / exit 18A, 18B side of each of the top plates 20A, 20B is provided with a widthwise extending region 20ew and an inclined region 20ei. Furthermore, a chair (not shown) on which a user p can sit is placed in a position facing the front edge 20e of the tabletop 20A, 20B in each of the work spaces 10A, 10B. However, it is not essential to place a chair in each of the work spaces 10A, 10B, and the chair does not necessarily have to be installed.

[0029] The widthwise extending region 20ew of the front edge 20e is located on the left side of each of the work spaces 10A, 10B in Fig. 1, and the inclined region 20ei is located adjacent to the right side of the widthwise extending region 20ew in Fig. 1. The widthwise extending region 20ew of the tabletop 20A located in each of the work spaces 10A, 10B extends parallel to the base wall panels 15A, 15B.

[0030] The inclined region 20ei of the front edge 20e is formed so that the distance from the base wall panel 15A, 15B increases from the junction with the adjacent widthwise extending region 20ew toward the right-side side wall panel 16A, 16B of each work space 10A, 10B in FIG. 1. Specifically, the inclined region 20ei of the tabletop 20A disposed in one work space 10A is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the X direction so that the distance from the base wall panel 15A gradually increases toward the right in FIG. 1. Similarly, the inclined region 20ei of the tabletop 20B disposed in the other work space 10B is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the X direction so that the distance from the base wall panel 15B gradually increases toward the right in FIG. 1. The extension length of the inclined region 20ei at the edge 20e of each tabletop 20A, 20B is set sufficiently longer than the extension length of the adjacent widthwise extension region 20ew. Therefore, a user p facing the edge 20e of the tabletop 20A, 20B in each workspace 10A, 10B is corrected to face the inclined region 20ei. As a result, the front of the face of a user p in a normal posture facing the tabletop 20A, 20B faces the corner between the base wall panel 15A, 15B and the right side wall panel 16A, 16B.

[0031] Therefore, when a user p faces the tabletop 20A, 20B in each workspace 10A, 10B, the user p is directed (guided) to face the right side. In this embodiment, the inclined region 20ei on the front edge 20e of the tabletop 20A, 20B constitutes an orientation function. In this embodiment, the right side (the positive side in the X direction) directed by the inclined region 20ei, which is the orientation function, becomes the specific direction side, which is one side of the arrangement direction of the base wall panels 15A, 15B. In this specification, directing the user's facing direction toward a specific direction (e.g., the right side) means that the direction the user is facing includes a component facing the specific direction, and does not mean that the user is only facing the specific direction.

[0032] Furthermore, the inclined panel 17B facing the right-side workspace 10A is positioned parallel to the inclined region 20ei behind the tabletop 20A within the workspace 10A. This inclined panel 17B shields the user p facing the tabletop 20A from the back, preventing disturbances from disrupting the user's concentration. In addition to this function, the inclined panel 17B also creates a seating or standing space for the user p that is inclined with respect to the X direction between the inclined region 20ei on the edge 20e of the tabletop 20A and the inclined panel 17B. Therefore, by entering this inclined space, the user can orient themselves so that the direction they are facing is to the right (the positive side of the X direction). Therefore, in this embodiment, the inclined panel 17B also constitutes part of the orientation function. The inclined panel 17C facing the left side workspace 10B also constitutes a part of the orientation function section.

[0033] In the booth unit 1 in the form of connected fixtures shown in Figure 1, the two base wall panels 15A, 15B have sound-absorbing surface 22 on the side facing the work spaces 10A, 10B, and the surface opposite to sound-absorbing surface 22 (the surface facing in the opposite direction to sound-absorbing surface 22) is a non-sound-absorbing surface 23. However, it is not necessary to make the surface opposite to the surface (sound-absorbing surface 22) facing the work spaces 10A and 10B of each base wall panel 15A, 15B a non-sound-absorbing surface 23; this opposite surface may also be a sound-absorbing surface.

[0034] The side wall panel 16A, which is positioned in a specific direction (to the right of the work space 10A) relative to one of the work spaces 10A, has a sound-absorbing surface 22 with sound-absorbing properties on the side facing the work space 10A in the specific direction (the left side), and the surface opposite the sound-absorbing surface 22 (the right side facing in the opposite direction to the sound-absorbing surface 22) is a non-sound-absorbing surface 23.

[0035] Similarly, the central side wall panel 16B, which is positioned in a specific direction (to the right of the work space 10B) relative to the other work space 10B, has a surface (left surface) facing the work space 10B in the specific direction that is a sound-absorbing surface 22 having a sound-absorbing function, and a surface opposite the sound-absorbing surface 22 (the right surface facing the opposite direction to the sound-absorbing surface 22) that is a non-sound-absorbing surface 23. Therefore, the surface (right surface) of the central side wall panel 16B that faces the right-hand work space 10A is a non-sound-absorbing surface 23.

[0036] The inclined panel 17B is composed of a panel that does not have a sound-absorbing function. However, like the side wall panel 16B, the inclined panel 17B may have a non-sound-absorbing surface 23 on the side facing one work space 10A (the right side surface) and a sound-absorbing surface 22 on the side opposite the non-sound-absorbing surface 23.

[0037] The side wall panel 16C located on the opposite side of the specific direction from the other work space 10B is made up of a panel that does not have sound absorbing properties. The inclined panel 17C facing the inside of the other work space 10B is also made up of a panel that does not have sound absorbing properties, just like the side wall panel 16C.

[0038] In this embodiment, the two base wall panels 15A, 15B, the side wall panels 16A, 16B, and the inclined panel 17B have a panel structure in which one surface is a sound-absorbing surface 22 and the other surface is a non-sound-absorbing surface 23. This panel structure can employ, for example, a structure in which a sound-absorbing member 32 is sandwiched between a first panel body 30 having a plurality of sound-transmitting holes and a second panel body 31 having no sound-transmitting holes, as shown in Figures 3 to 5.

[0039] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the first panel body 30, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the second panel body 31. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of attachment of the second panel body 31 to the first panel body 30. 3, the first panel body 30 includes a vertically long rectangular panel main body 33, upper beam portions 34U and lower beam portions 34L connected to the upper and lower edge portions of the panel main body 33, and side reinforcement portions 35S connected to the left and right side edge portions of the panel main body 33. The upper beam portion 34U, lower beam portion 34L, and left and right side reinforcement portions 35S are all formed with a substantially hat-shaped cross section, and the flange portions of the cross section are connected to the panel main body 33. The hat-shaped cross sections of the upper beam portion 34U, lower beam portion 34L, and side reinforcement portions 35S extend along the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the panel main body 33. Near the upper and lower ends of the left and right side reinforcing portions 35S, locking holes 36 for locking the second panel body 31 are formed.

[0040] The surface of the first panel body 30 on which the upper beam portion 34U, the lower beam portion 34L, the side reinforcement portion 35S, etc. are arranged faces the second panel body 31. The first panel body 30 is arranged so that the surface opposite to the side facing the second panel body 31 faces the inside of the work spaces 10A, 10B. Hereinafter, for ease of explanation, the side of the first panel body 30 facing the second panel body 31 will be referred to as the "back" and the opposite side will be referred to as the "front." A plurality of fine through-holes 37 are formed in the upper half region of the panel main body 33. These through-holes 37 communicate the front and back of the panel main body 33 and transmit noise from within the working spaces 10A, 10B to the back side of the panel main body 33.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4 , the second panel body 31 includes a vertically elongated rectangular panel body 38, side reinforcement portions 39S connected to the left and right side edges of the panel body 38, and a pair of central beam portions 40 connected to an approximately vertical center region of the panel body 38. The side reinforcement portions 39S are formed with a generally hat-shaped cross section, and a flange portion of the cross section is connected to the panel body 38. The side reinforcement portions 39S extend in the vertical direction along the left and right side edges of the panel body 38. The surface of the second panel body 31 on which the side reinforcement portions 39S and the central beam portion 40 are arranged faces the first panel body 30. Near the upper and lower ends of the left and right side reinforcement portions 39S, engagement claws 41 are formed to be inserted into and engaged with the corresponding locking holes 36 on the first panel body 30 from above.

[0042] A sound-absorbing member 32 having a substantially rectangular shape in front view is held in the upper half region of the panel body 38. The sound-absorbing member 32 is held by the second panel body 31 on the side of the panel body 38 facing the first panel body 30. The sound-absorbing member 32 is disposed opposite the region where the fine through-holes 37 on the first panel body 30 side are formed. Noise in the working spaces 10A, 10B that passes through the through-holes 37 on the first panel body 30 side is absorbed by the sound-absorbing member 32. The multiple through-holes 37 on the first panel body 30 side also contribute to absorbing noise. Therefore, in this embodiment, the multiple through-holes 37 on the first panel body 30 side also constitute part of the sound-absorbing function portion. The sound-absorbing member 32 can be made of a porous material such as glass wool, urethane sponge, or polyester fiber. In this embodiment, the surface of the first panel body 30 facing the inside of the work spaces 10A, 10B and the surface of the sound absorbing member 32 facing the work spaces 10A, 10B through the plurality of through holes 37 form the sound absorbing surface 22.

[0043] The second panel body 31 configured in this manner is placed on the back surface of the corresponding first panel body 30, as shown in Figure 5, and the engagement claws 41 (see Figure 4) provided on the top and bottom of the left and right side reinforcement parts 39S are inserted and engaged from diagonally above into the corresponding locking holes 36 on the first panel body 30. In this way, the second panel body 31 is integrally engaged with the back surface of the first panel body 30. The second panel body 31 may be fixed to the first panel body 30 by bolting or the like, in addition to the engagement between the engaging claws 41 and the locking holes 36. Also, the second panel body 31 may be fixed to the first panel body 30 only by bolting, without providing an engagement structure between the engaging claws 41 and the locking holes 36.

[0044] As described above, in this embodiment, noise within the work spaces 10A, 10B is absorbed by the multiple fine through-holes 37 in the first panel body 30 and the sound-absorbing material 32 on the back surface of the first panel body 30. However, a sound-absorbing material such as felt or cloth may be further attached to the front surface of the first panel body 30 (the surface facing the work spaces 10A, 10B).

[0045] Figure 6 is a plan view of the booth unit 1 when it is transitioned from the connected fixture form to the standalone fixture form. The "single fixture form" refers to a usage form in which the work spaces 10A and 10B are each surrounded by individual side wall panels and base wall panels. The booth unit 1 can be transitioned between the connected fixture form and the standalone fixture form. In the connected fixture type booth unit 1 shown in Figure 1, the central side wall panel 16B is separated from the right booth (a component of work space 10A), and the left booth (a component of work space 10B) including the central side wall panel 16B is left as a stand-alone booth (space-forming fixture) as shown in Figure 6. The stand-alone booth (space-forming fixture) left at this time is referred to as "first booth 1B."

[0046] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the first booth 1B (a single space-forming fixture). As shown in Fig. 7, the first booth 1B has a work space 10B formed by a base wall panel 15B, a pair of side wall panels 16B and 16C, and an inclined panel 17C. A top panel 20B is placed within the work space 10B, and an inclined area 20ei, which is an orientation function part, is placed on the front edge 20e of the top panel 20B. The surfaces (left surfaces) of the base wall panel 15B and the side wall panel 16B on a specific direction side (right side) facing the work space 10B are sound-absorbing surfaces 22, and the side wall panel 16C on the opposite side (left side) from the specific direction side is formed by a panel without sound-absorbing function.

[0047] Additionally, in the separated right booth, an additional side wall panel 16CA and an inclined panel 17CA are attached in place of the missing side wall panel 16B. The additional side wall panel 16CA and inclined panel 17CA are prepared in advance. The newly created stand-alone booth (space-forming fixture) is referred to as "second booth 1A."

[0048] The additional side wall panel 16CA and inclined panel 17CA used in the second booth 1A have the same configuration as the side wall panel 16C and inclined panel 17C of the first booth 1B. The additional side wall panel 16CA and inclined panel 17CA are made of panels that do not have sound absorbing properties, just like the side wall panel 16C and inclined panel 17C of the first booth 1B. The additional side wall panel 16CA is connected to the left end of the top panel 20A on the second booth 1A side via a bracket 21. As a result, the additional side wall panel 16CA and the inclined panel 17CA, together with the side wall panel 16A and the base wall panel 15A, form the work space 10A.

[0049] Furthermore, when converting the first booth 1B and second booth 1A, which are in the form of individual units, back into a connected unit, the additional side wall panel 16CA of second booth 1A together with the inclined panel 17CA is removed from the main part of second booth 1A, and the main part of second booth 1A from which the side wall panel 16CA and inclined panel 17CA have been removed is connected to the outer surface of the right side wall panel 16B of first booth 1B. This creates a connected booth structure in which the left and right work spaces 10A, 10B are separated by the side wall panel 16B.

[0050] In this embodiment, when transitioning from the connected fixture form to the single fixture form, the entire central side wall panel 16B is detached from the right-hand booth. However, at this time, as in the modified example shown in Figure 8, it is also possible to detach only the part of the side wall panel 16B that has sound-absorbing function (for example, the first panel body 30 and sound-absorbing member 32 shown in Figures 3 and 4) from the right-hand booth. In addition, when the sound-absorbing portion of the side wall panel 16B is separated from the right booth, The sound-absorbing member 32 may be left on the left side of the second panel body 31, and only the first panel body 30 may be separated from the right booth. In this case, if a new sound-absorbing member 32 is attached to the left side of the panel component 16Ca (described later), the sound-absorbing function of the left side of the side wall panel 16B of the left booth can be improved.

[0051] FIG. 8 is a plan view similar to FIG. 6 for explaining a modified example. In this modified example, a new panel component 16Ca without sound absorption is attached to the outer side (right side) of the panel component 16Ba with sound absorption on the side wall panel 16B of the left booth. Also, another new panel component 16Cb without sound absorption is attached to the outer side (left side) of the remaining panel component 16Bb (the portion without sound absorption) on the side wall panel 16B of the right booth. As a result, for both the first and second booths 1B and 1A, the sound absorbing surface 22 is located on the left side of the side wall panel on the right side (the side facing the specific direction), and the non-sound absorbing surface 23 is located on the right side. In this case, the left side wall panel of the first and second booths 1B and 1A is composed of a panel without sound absorption.

[0052] In this transformable configuration, the central sidewall panel 16B can be separated into a left panel component 16Ba with sound-absorbing capabilities and a panel component 16Bb without sound-absorbing capabilities. New panel components 16Ca and 16Cb are attached to the outer surfaces (the surface facing away from workspace 10B) of the panel component 16Ba that accompanies the left booth and the outer surfaces (the surface facing away from workspace 10A) of the panel component 16Bb that accompanies the right booth, respectively. As a result, the outer surfaces of the panel components 16Ba, 16Ba that accompany each booth are covered by the new panel components 16Ca and 16Cb. This allows the appearance quality of each booth (space-forming fixture) to be maintained when used as a standalone fixture without discarding the components (panel components 16Ba, 16Bb) of the central sidewall panel 16B that are used in the connected fixture configuration.

[0053] Specifically, for example, if the central sidewall panel 16B used in the connected fixture configuration were to be detached from the right booth and used in the left booth as is, fastening holes (e.g., fastening holes for fastening the bracket 21 for fixing the top panel 20A to the left side of the sidewall panel 16B) would remain on the outer surface of the sidewall panel 16B used in the left booth, detracting from the appearance. However, in this modification, the exterior of the components of the central sidewall panel 16B (panel components 16Ba, 16Bb) is covered by new panel components 16Ca, 16Cb, thereby preventing such a deterioration in appearance. Therefore, the appearance quality of each booth (space-forming fixture) when used as a standalone fixture can be maintained without discarding the components of the central sidewall panel 16B (panel components 16Ba, 16Bb).

[0054] In addition, in this type of space-forming fixture unit, the side wall panels placed as partitions between the two work spaces have sound-absorbing surfaces on both sides, so that sound absorption effects can be obtained in each work space. When such a space-forming fixture unit is separated from the connected fixture form into two separate fixture forms, one of the following two methods is usually adopted. (Measure 1) The side wall panel arranged as a partition is used as it is in one of the space-forming fixtures without being removed, and a new side wall panel with one side made to have a sound-absorbing function is attached to the missing part of the side wall panel of the remaining space-forming fixture. (Measure 2) The side wall panels that are used as partitions are completely removed, and new side wall panels with sound-absorbing surfaces on one side are attached to the missing parts of the side wall panels of the two space-forming fixtures.

[0055] However, in the case of the above-mentioned Measure 1, the side wall panel used as it is in one of the space-forming fixtures is endowed with sound-absorbing functionality not only on the inner surface facing the work space but also on the outer surface not facing the work space. This means that the side wall panel is endowed with an excessive function that is not effectively used, which is undesirable from the perspective of reducing product costs. In addition, in the case of the above-mentioned method 2, the side wall panels that were used when the fixture was in the connected fixture form are not used at all, so the removed side wall panels must be stored somewhere or discarded. Therefore, if the removed side wall panels are stored, it is necessary to secure space and time for storage management, and if they are discarded, it is a waste of resources.

[0056] In contrast, in the booth unit 1 of this embodiment (including modified examples), when switching to a stand-alone fixture form, the sound-absorbing function of the side wall panels does not become excessive, and the side wall panels used in the partition section do not go to waste. Specifically, in this embodiment, in the connected fixture configuration, the side wall panels 16A, 16B located on the right side (specific direction) of the work spaces 10A, 10B have sound-absorbing surface 22 on the left side (opposite the specific direction) facing the work spaces 10A, 10B, and the surface opposite sound-absorbing surface 22 is non-sound-absorbing surface 23. For this reason, in the stand-alone fixture configuration, if side wall panel 16B is used as is in the booth on the left side, side wall panel 16B is not wasted and the sound-absorbing function of side wall panel 16B is not excessive. In addition to this effect, the above-mentioned modified example can also achieve the effect of maintaining good appearance quality of each booth (space-forming fixture) when used as a stand-alone fixture.

[0057] As described above, the booth unit 1 of this embodiment includes two (multiple) base wall panels 15A, 15B arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the panels, and three (multiple) side wall panels 16A, 16B, 16C extending in a direction intersecting the arrangement direction of the base wall panels 15A, 15B. These panels form two (multiple) work spaces 10A, 10B. A top panel 20A, 20B is disposed within each work space 10A, 10B, and a sloped area 20ei, which functions as an orientation function, is provided on the front edge 20e of each top panel 20A, 20B. The sloped area 20ei, due to its shape, orients the user p toward a specific direction (the right side of the work space 10A, 10B). In this booth unit 1, the surface of each base wall panel 15A, 15B facing the work space 10A, 10B is configured as a sound-absorbing surface 22. The side wall panels 16A, 16B located on the right side (specific direction side) of each of the work spaces 10A, 10B have sound absorbing surfaces 22 on the surfaces facing the work spaces 10A, 10B from the right side (specific direction side).

[0058] In the booth unit 1 of this embodiment, a user p using each work space 10A, 10B is directed to face the right (specific direction) in the left-right direction by the inclined regions 20ei (orientation functional parts) of the top panels 20A, 20B in the work spaces 10A, 10B. The inner surfaces (facing the user p) of the base wall panels 15A, 15B and the side wall panels 16A, 16B to the right of the base wall panels 15A, 15B, which are positioned in a direction substantially directly facing the user p, function as sound-absorbing surfaces 22. Therefore, the sound emitted by the user p within the work spaces 10A, 10B is absorbed by these sound-absorbing surfaces 22, thereby reducing sound leakage to the outside. Furthermore, the surfaces of the side wall panels 16B, 16C, which are positioned on the left side of each work space 10A, 10B and face the work spaces 10A, 10B, are not directly facing the face of the user p. Therefore, even if these surfaces are not provided with sound absorbing functional parts, there is almost no problem in terms of soundproofing. Therefore, sound absorbing performance without any problem in terms of soundproofing can be ensured in each of the work spaces 10A and 10B.

[0059] Furthermore, the booth unit 1 of this embodiment is transitionable between a connected fixture configuration and a standalone fixture configuration. When in the connected fixture configuration, at least the sound-absorbing portion of the sidewall panel 16B, which is located on the right side of the workspace 10B, can be detached from the right booth during transition from the connected fixture configuration to the standalone configuration. The booth unit 1 also includes an additional sidewall panel 16CA that can be attached to replace the lost sidewall panel 16B of the right booth. This sidewall panel 16CA does not have sound-absorbing functionality. Therefore, when transitioning from the connected fixture configuration to the standalone configuration, simply attaching a pre-prepared sidewall panel 16CA to the remaining booth after the sidewall panel 16B is detached allows multiple standalone booths (space-forming fixtures) with the same functionality to be created. This approach eliminates the need to add sound-absorbing sidewall panels to the remaining booths, simplifying the structure and reducing production costs. Therefore, when the booth unit 1 of this embodiment is adopted, sound absorption performance that does not cause any problems in terms of soundproofing in the work spaces 10A and 10B can be ensured, while the structure can be simplified and the product costs can be reduced.

[0060] Furthermore, in the booth unit 1 of this embodiment, when switching from the connected fixture form to the standalone fixture form, an additional side wall panel 16CA can be attached to the end of the standalone booth (space-forming fixture) on the side opposite to the specific direction in place of the side wall panel 16C that was lost when it was separated. This increases the rigidity and installation stability of the standalone booth (space-forming fixture).

[0061] Furthermore, in the booth unit 1 of this embodiment, top panels 20A, 20B are arranged in each work space 10A, 10B, positioned between the user p and the base wall panels 15A, 15B. An inclined region 20ei is provided on the edge 20e of the top panels 20A, 20B facing the user p, such that the distance from the base wall panels 15A, 15B increases as the edge 20e approaches the side wall panels 16A, 16B on the right side (specific direction side) of the work spaces 10A, 10B. In this embodiment, the inclined region 20ei of the top panels 20A, 20B functions as an orientation function that orients the user p in the direction facing the user p in each work space 10A, 10B. Therefore, when user p approaches the inclined area 20ei of the tabletop 20A, 20B within the work space 10A, 10B, user p will be directly facing the vicinity of the corner between the base wall panel 15A, 15B and the right side (specific direction side) side wall panel 16A, 16B. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the posture of the user p can be guided so that the face of the user p is reliably turned toward a specific direction with a simple configuration.

[0062] Each of the booths (first booth 1B, second booth 1A) of this embodiment includes a base wall panel 15B (15A) and a pair of side wall panels 16B, 16C (16A, 16B). The base wall panel 15B (15A) and the pair of side wall panels 16B, 16C (16A, 16B) form a workspace 10B (10A). A top panel 20B (20A) having an inclined region 20ei, which serves as an orientation function, is located in the workspace 10B (10A). The surfaces of the base wall panel 15B (15A) and the right-side (specific direction) side wall panel 16B (16A) facing the workspace 10B (10A) are sound-absorbing surfaces 22. The left-side (opposite side from the specific direction) side wall panel 16C (16CA) is composed of a panel without sound-absorbing function.

[0063] In the single booths (first booth 1B, second booth 1A) of this embodiment, a user p using the workspaces 10A, 10B is directed toward a specific direction (right side) by the orientation function (the inclined region 20ei of the top panels 20A, 20B) within the workspaces 10A, 10B. In this case, the inner surfaces (the surfaces facing the user p) of the base wall panels 15A, 15B positioned directly facing the user p and one of the side wall panels 16A, 16B positioned on the specific side serve as sound-absorbing surfaces 22. Therefore, the sound emitted by the user p is absorbed by these sound-absorbing surfaces 22, reducing sound leakage to the outside. Furthermore, the surfaces of the other side wall panels 16CA, 16C facing the workspaces 10A, 10B are not directly facing the user p, so there is no problem even if they are not sound-absorbing surfaces. In other words, sound absorption performance can be ensured without impeding soundproofing in the workspaces 10A and 10B.

[0064] By preparing multiple stand-alone booths (first booth 1B, second booth 1A), removing the left side wall panel 16AC from some of the booths, and connecting the booths from which the side wall panel 16AC has been removed to the right side (specific direction) side wall panel 16B of the other booths, they can be used as connected fixtures. In this case, whether the booths are used as connected fixtures or stand-alone fixtures, the user p in the work space 10B (10A) will face the sound-absorbing surfaces 22 of the base wall panel 15B (15A) and the right side wall panel 16B (16A). Therefore, regardless of the form in which the booth is used, sound absorption performance can be ensured in the work space 10B (10A) without causing any problems in terms of soundproofing, and the structure can be simplified and product costs can be reduced.

[0065] Second Embodiment FIG. 9 is a plan view of the booth unit 101 (space-forming fixture unit) of this embodiment when used in the form of a connected fixture. In the booth unit 1 of the first embodiment, two work spaces 10A and 10B are formed by two base wall panels 15A and 15B and three side wall panels 16A, 16B and 16C. In contrast, in the booth unit 101 of the present embodiment, three work spaces 10A, 10B and 10C are formed by adding a base wall panel 15C and a side wall panel 16E.

[0066] The basic configuration of the booth unit 101 of this embodiment is almost the same as that of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, another base wall panel 15A and a side wall panel 16A are connected to the right side of the booth formed by a base wall panel 15B and a pair of side wall panels 16C, 16B. In this embodiment, a base wall panel 15C and a side wall panel 16E are further connected to the right side of the side wall panel 16A. The added base wall panel 15C and side wall panel 16E, together with the side wall panel 16A, form a new work space 10C. In this embodiment, the three work spaces 10A, 10B, and 10C are each provided with a top panel 20A, 20B, or 20C having an inclined region 20ei at the front edge 20e. The inclination of the inclined region 20ei of each top panel 20A, 20B, or 20C is set so that the distance from the base wall panel 15A, 15B, or 15C gradually increases toward the right in the X direction. An inclined panel 17A similar to the inclined panel 17B connected to the side wall panel 16B is connected to the extending end (rear end) of the side wall panel 16A.

[0067] In the present embodiment, the base wall panel 15C and the side wall panel 16E have sound-absorbing surfaces 22 on the sides facing the workspace 10C, and non-sound-absorbing surfaces 23 on the sides opposite the sound-absorbing surfaces 22. The inclined panel 17A connected to the extending end (rear end) of the side wall panel 16A is formed of a panel that does not have sound-absorbing properties. However, the side facing the workspace 10C may be a non-sound-absorbing surface, and the side opposite the non-sound-absorbing surface may be a sound-absorbing surface.

[0068] In this embodiment, the user p facing the tabletop 20A, 20B, or 20C in each of the work spaces 10A, 10B, or 10C has his or her face oriented to the right (the positive X-direction). As a result, the face of the user p facing the tabletop 20A, 20B, or 20C faces the corner between the base wall panel 15A, 15B, or 15C and the right-side sidewall panel 16A, 16B, or 16E in each of the work spaces 10A, 10B, or 10C. The rear surfaces (negative Y-side surfaces) of the base wall panels 15A, 15B, or 15C and the left surfaces (negative X-direction surfaces) of the sidewall panels 16A, 16B, or 16E are sound-absorbing surfaces 22. Therefore, the voices and other sounds emitted by the user p in the work spaces 10A, 10B, or 10C are absorbed by these sound-absorbing surfaces 22. In addition, the right side surfaces (+X direction surfaces) of the side wall panels 16B, 16C, 16A located on the left side of each work space 10A, 10B, 10C are non-sound absorbing surfaces 23, but since the user p does not face these left side surfaces, there is no problem with soundproofing.

[0069] Furthermore, the booth unit 101 can be converted from a connected fixture form to a standalone fixture form in the same way as in the first embodiment described above. In this case, additional side wall panels without sound absorption functions must be prepared in advance and then attached. However, because the additional side wall panels do not have a complex structure with sound absorption functions, it is possible to avoid an increase in structural complexity and a rise in product costs.

[0070] The booth unit 101 of the second embodiment described here forms three work spaces 10A, 10B, 10C using three base wall panels 15A, 15B, 15C and four side wall panels 16A, 16B, 16C, 16E, but it is also possible to further increase the number of work spaces by similarly adding base wall panels and side wall panels.

[0071] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a portion of the panel material is constructed by overlapping two panel bodies (first panel body 30 and second panel body 31), but the panel material may be constructed from a single panel body.

[0072] In the above embodiment, a plurality of fine through-holes 37 are provided in the first panel body 30, and the sound-absorbing member 32 is disposed on the back side of the first panel body 30, thereby forming the sound-absorbing surface 22. However, the configuration of the sound-absorbing surface 22 is not limited to this. The sound-absorbing surface 22 may be formed, for example, by directly attaching felt or cloth material to the necessary surface of the panel body facing the work spaces 10A, 10B, or by fastening another panel body with felt or cloth material attached to the front side to the panel body.

[0073] In the above embodiment, an inclined region 20ei is provided on the front edge 20e of the tabletop 20A, 20B disposed in each workspace 10A, 10B, and the inclined region 20ei serves as an orientation function. However, the orientation function is not limited to this configuration. The orientation function may be, for example, a monitor or tablet stand positioned at a specific direction in each workspace 10A, 10B, tilted toward the center, or the monitor or tablet itself. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1,101...Booth unit (space-forming fixture unit) 1A... Booth 2 (space-forming fixtures) 1B... Booth 1 (space-forming fixtures) 10A,10B,10C…Work space 15A, 15B, 15C...Base wall panels 16A, 16B, 16C, 16E...Side wall panels 16CA…Additional side wall panel 20A, 20B, 20C...Top plate 20e...Edge 20ei...Inclined area (direction function part) 22...Sound-absorbing surface

Claims

1. A plurality of base wall panels each standing upright relative to the floor surface and arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the plate thickness direction; a plurality of side wall panels extending in a direction intersecting the arrangement direction of the base wall panels in a plan view; Each of the base wall panels forms a working space together with two of the side wall panels spaced apart in the arranging direction, A booth unit that can be transitioned between a connected fixture form in which two adjacent work spaces are connected with the common side wall panel in between, and a single fixture form in which the work spaces are each surrounded by individual side wall panels and base wall panels, Each of the work spaces is provided with an orientation function unit that orients the user to face a specific direction that is one side of the arrangement direction, Each of the base wall panels has a sound-absorbing surface on the side facing the work space, Of the two side wall panels that form the work space, the side wall panel that is located on the specific direction side has a surface that faces the work space in the specific direction as a sound absorbing surface having a sound absorbing function, Of the two side wall panels that form the work space when in the connected fixture form, the side wall panel located on the specific direction side is configured so that at least the portion having the sound absorbing function can be separated from the remaining booth on the specific direction side when transitioning from the connected fixture form to the single fixture form, The booth further includes an additional side wall panel attached to an end of the remaining booth opposite to the specific direction when the booth transitions from the connected fixture form to the single fixture form; A space-forming fixture unit characterized in that the additional side wall panels are composed of panels that do not have sound-absorbing properties.

2. Each of the work spaces has a tabletop positioned between a user and the base wall panel; An inclined region is provided on an edge portion of the tabletop facing the user, in which a distance from the base wall panel increases as the edge portion approaches the side wall panel on the specific direction side, The space-forming fixture unit according to claim 1, wherein the orientation function portion is constituted by the inclined region.

3. A base wall panel that stands upright relative to the floor surface and extends in one direction in a plan view; a pair of side wall panels extending in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the base wall panel in a plan view; A space-forming fixture in which the base wall panel forms a work space together with a pair of the side wall panels, The work space is provided with an orientation function unit that orients the user to a specific direction that is one side of the extension direction of the base wall panel, The base wall panel has a sound-absorbing surface on the side facing the work space, Of the pair of side wall panels that form the work space, the side wall panel that is located on the specific direction side has a surface that faces the work space in the specific direction as a sound absorbing surface having a sound absorbing function, The space-forming fixture is characterized in that the other side wall panel is composed of a panel that does not have sound-absorbing function.

Images