Cabinet

Abstract

To provide a cabinet which can be easily assembled and disassembled.SOLUTION: The cabinet 1 includes a cabinet main body 10 and a top plate 20 disposed on the cabinet main body 10. One of the cabinet body 10 and the top plate 20 is provided with a projecting part 30 projecting along a first direction (vertical direction), and the other is provided with a recessed part 40 recessed along the first direction and in which the projecting part 30 is arranged. The convex portion 30 moves in the concave portion 40 between a first position where the convex portion 30 can be pulled out from the concave portion 40 and a second position where the convex portion 30 cannot be pulled out from the concave portion 40 by relatively moving the top plate 20 along a second direction (front-rear direction) intersecting the first direction with respect to the cabinet main body 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cabinet. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional cabinet, which is configured with a counter placed on top of the cabinet body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-174974 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] This type of cabinet can be secured to the counter by screws, adhesives, double-sided tape, or other methods. These methods have the following problems: When securing by screws, the assembly and disassembly work is cumbersome because tools are required; when securing by adhesive, it takes time to complete the securing work and it is difficult to completely separate the adhesive joints when dismantling.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a cabinet that can be easily assembled and disassembled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The cabinet according to the present disclosure comprises a cabinet body and a top plate disposed on top of the cabinet body, wherein one of the cabinet body and the top plate is provided with a convex portion that protrudes along a first direction, and the other of the cabinet body and the top plate is provided with a recess that is recessed along the first direction and in which the convex portion is disposed, and the convex portion moves within the recess between a first position at which it can escape from the recess and a second position at which it cannot escape from the recess by moving the top plate relative to the cabinet body along a second direction that intersects the first direction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cabinet according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a cabinet according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the cabinet according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view corresponding to line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a main part of the cabinet according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing a recess according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the cabinet according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which a convex portion is inserted into a concave portion. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the cabinet according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which the convex portion is placed at a first position in the concave portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the cabinet according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which the convex portion is placed at a second position in the concave portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. Any combination of the following embodiments without causing any contradiction is also included in the embodiments for carrying out the invention.

[0009] The cabinet according to the present disclosure comprises: [1] A cabinet comprising a cabinet body and a top plate arranged on top of the cabinet body, wherein one of the cabinet body and the top plate is provided with a convex portion protruding along a first direction, and the other of the cabinet body and the top plate is provided with a recess formed along the first direction and in which the convex portion is arranged, and the convex portion moves within the recess between a first position at which the convex portion can be removed from the recess and a second position at which the convex portion cannot be removed from the recess by moving the top plate relative to the cabinet body along a second direction intersecting the first direction.

[0010] According to this configuration, the cabinet can be easily assembled and disassembled. For example, the cabinet can be configured so that the top plate can be attached and detached to and from the cabinet body without using tools. As a result, the cabinet can be easily assembled and disassembled. For example, the cabinet can be configured so that the cabinet body and the top plate are connected without using adhesive by fitting a convex portion and a concave portion together. As a result, the cabinet can be assembled in a shorter time because no curing time is required for the adhesive to dry, and can be disassembled in a more recyclable manner because the cabinet body and the top plate can be completely separated.

[0011] [2] In the above [1], the first direction is the vertical direction, the protrusion protrudes upward from the top surface of the cabinet body, and the recess is formed on the underside of the top plate that is placed on the top surface. According to this configuration, the cabinet can insert the protrusion into the recess by placing the top plate on the cabinet body. In this cabinet, the protrusion can be removed from the recess by lifting the top plate from the top surface of the cabinet body. In this cabinet, when moving the protrusion between the first position and the second position in the recess, the operation can be performed in a stable state with the top plate placed on the cabinet body. [3] In either of the above items [1] and [2], the protrusion is formed by a protruding member inserted into a hole formed in the upper surface. With this configuration, the cabinet can easily form the protrusion. [4] In any one of the above items [1] to [3], the recess is integrally formed with the top plate. With this configuration, the cabinet can be easily assembled. [5] In any of [1] to [4] above, the second direction is the front-to-rear direction, and the protrusion moves from the second position in the recess to the first position by moving the top plate forward relative to the cabinet body. With this configuration, the top plate can be attached to and detached from the cabinet body even when the cabinet is installed with its back to a wall. In this case, the cabinet can be installed by first placing the cabinet body in front of the wall and then assembling the top plate. When dismantling the cabinet, the top plate can be removed from the cabinet body while it is in the installed position. When the top plate deteriorates and needs to be replaced, the top plate can be replaced while it is in the installed position. [6] In any of the above [1] to [4], the second direction is a front-to-rear direction, and the protrusion moves from the second position to the first position in the recess by moving the top plate backward relative to the cabinet body. With this configuration, the cabinet is installed with its back to a wall, thereby preventing the top plate from accidentally coming off the cabinet body.

[0012] <Embodiment 1> A cabinet 1 according to the first embodiment is a so-called washstand cabinet, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The cabinet 1 is placed adjacent to a wall (not shown) of, for example, a bathroom.

[0013] The directions of each part in the following explanation are based on the directions when the cabinet 1 is installed. Specifically, the front-to-back direction of the cabinet 1 refers to the direction of a user facing the cabinet 1 as seen from the cabinet 1, and the opposite direction refers to the rear. The left-to-right and up-to-down directions refer to the directions as seen from a user facing the cabinet 1. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis shown in each diagram represent the front-to-back direction, left-to-right direction, and up-to-down direction, respectively. The positive directions of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are the front, left, and up, respectively.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cabinet 1 includes a cabinet body 10 and a top panel 20. The cabinet body 10 is formed in a box shape by combining plate materials such as a pair of left and right side panels 11 and a door 12 as main components. The plate materials used for the cabinet body 10 are formed by laminating a decorative material such as a resin sheet on the surface of a wooden material such as plywood. In addition to the side panels 11 and the door 12, the cabinet body 10 is also formed by combining other plate materials such as a back panel, a bottom panel, a top panel, and a baseboard (not shown), and forms a storage space inside.

[0015] The top plate 20 is a one-piece molded product made by injecting a resin such as acrylic. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the top plate 20 is disposed on top of the cabinet main body 10. The top plate 20 has a rectangular shape with the longitudinal direction extending in the left-right direction in a plan view. The left and right ends of the top plate 20 rest on the upper surfaces 11A of the side plates 11 of the cabinet main body 10. The upper surfaces 11A of the side plates 11 correspond to the upper surfaces of the cabinet main body according to the present disclosure. The left and right ends of the top plate 20 protrude slightly outward from the outer surfaces of the left and right side plates 11 of the cabinet main body 10. The rear end of the top plate 20 is disposed at a position substantially equal to the rear ends of the side plates 11. The front end of the top plate 20 overhangs forward of the front surface of the door 12 of the cabinet main body 10.

[0016] The top plate 20 has a bowl portion 21, a standing wall portion 22, and a front hanging portion 23. The bowl portion 21 has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and is formed so as to be recessed downward from the upper surface 20A of the top plate 20. The standing wall portion 22 rises upward from the rear end of the top plate 20. The front hanging portion 23 hangs downward from the front end of the top plate 20. The rear end of the front hanging portion 23 faces the upper front surface of the side plate 11. The lower end of the front hanging portion 23 faces the upper end surface of the door 12.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cabinet 1 has a protrusion 30 and a recess 40. The cabinet 1 connects the cabinet body 10 and the top plate 20 by fitting the protrusion 30 and the recess 40 together. The protrusion 30 is provided so as to protrude in the vertical direction. The recess 40 is formed so as to be recessed in the vertical direction. The vertical direction corresponds to a first direction according to the present disclosure.

[0018] In this embodiment, the protrusions 30 are provided on the cabinet main body 10, and the recesses 40 are provided on the top plate 20. In detail, as shown in FIG. 4 , the protrusions 30 protrude upward from the upper surfaces 11A of the side plates 11 of the cabinet main body 10, and the recesses 40 are recessed upward from the lower surface 20B of the top plate 20. Two protrusions 30 are formed on the upper surfaces 11A of the left and right side plates 11, spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction. Two recesses 40 are provided on each of the left and right ends of the lower surface 20B of the top plate 20, corresponding to the protrusions 30. When each protrusion 30 is properly fitted into each recess 40, the upper surface 11A of the side plate 11 and the lower surface 20B of the top plate 20 are in contact with each other while pressing against each other.

[0019] 4 and 5, the protrusion 30 in this embodiment is formed by a protrusion member 50 provided separately from the side plate 11. The protrusion member 50 is attached to the side plate 11 when the cabinet body 10 is shipped from the factory so as to function as the protrusion 30. The protrusion member 50 is a molded product made of resin such as polyamide, or a cast product made of metal such as an aluminum alloy. The protrusion member 50 has a gate-like shape having a pair of legs 51 spaced apart in the front-rear direction and a head 52 extending in the front-rear direction so as to connect the upper ends of the legs 51.

[0020] The leg portions 51 are cylindrical and are inserted into bottomed holes 11B formed in the top surface 11A of the side plate 11. A retaining portion 51A is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the leg portions 51. The retaining portion 51A prevents the leg portions 51 from slipping out of the bottomed holes 11B. The head portions 52 are arranged on the top surface 11A of the side plate 11 with the longitudinal direction being the front-to-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 4 , the base end side of the head portion 52 is narrower than the tip end side. In other words, the left-to-right width of the tip end portion 52A of the head portion 52 is greater than the left-to-right width of the base end portion 52B. The lower surface of the head portion 52 is in contact with the top surface 11A of the side plate 11 when the convex member 50 is assembled to the side plate 11 with the pair of legs 51 inserted into the respective bottomed holes 11B.

[0021] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the recess 40 is formed in the shape of a groove with the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction. The front-rear direction is an example of the second direction according to the present disclosure. The vertical size (depth) of the recess 40 is equal to the height of the protrusion 30. The left-right size (left-right width) of the recess 40 is equal to the left-right width of the tip 52A of the head 52 described above. The front-rear size of the recess 40 is larger than the front-rear size of the protrusion 30, specifically about twice as large. The recess 40 is molded integrally with the top plate 20 during injection molding of the top plate 20.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 , the recess 40 has a narrow portion 41. The narrow portion 41 is formed by protruding the edge of the opening of the recess 40 inward in the left-right direction. The narrow portion 41 is located at the front end, which is one longitudinal end of the recess 40. The left-right width of the narrow portion 41 is approximately the same as the left-right width of the base end 52B of the head 52 of the convex member 50. The vertical dimension of the narrow portion 41 is slightly larger than the vertical dimension of the base end 52B. As a result, when the convex portion 30 and the recess 40 are properly fitted together, the convex portion 30 elastically deforms and fits into the narrow portion 41. The force due to this elastic deformation of the convex portion 30 acts as a force that presses the lower surface 20B of the top plate 20 and the upper surface 11A of the side plate 11 against each other while they come into contact. The narrow portion 41 is continuous with the front of the opening of the recess 40, which has a width equal to the left-right width of the convex portion 30. The portion of the recess 40 that opens at the rear end thereof with a width equal to the width of the protrusion 30 is referred to as the wide portion 42 of the recess 40 for convenience.

[0023] When the protrusion 30 is disposed at a first position, which is a position on the wide portion 42 side of the recess 40, the protrusion 30 is allowed to move in the vertical direction and can come out of the recess 40. The protrusion 30 can be moved backward, which is a second direction, from the state where it is disposed at the first position within the recess 40, and is thereby disposed at a second position on the narrow portion 41 side. In this state, the movement of the protrusion 30 in the vertical direction within the recess 40 is restricted and the protrusion 30 cannot come out of the recess 40.

[0024] The operation of the cabinet 1 configured as described above will be described together with an assembly method. When assembling the cabinet 1, the worker performing the assembly work places the cabinet main body 10 at the installation location of the cabinet 1. In the case of this embodiment, the cabinet 1 is installed with its back to a wall in the bathroom. Therefore, the worker places the cabinet main body 10 in front of the wall on which the cabinet 1 will be installed. The cabinet main body 10 is appropriately fixed to the wall, floor, etc. in the bathroom.

[0025] After placing the cabinet body 10, the worker places the top panel 20 on the cabinet body 10. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7 , the worker lowers the top panel 20 downward from a position forward of the position after assembly to the cabinet body 10, and inserts the protrusion 30 into the portion of the recess 40 on the wide portion 42 side. As a result, the protrusion 30 is placed in the first position of the recess 40, as shown in FIG. 8 . By inserting the protrusion 30 into the recess 40, the top panel 20 rests on the side panel 11. In this state, the lower surface 20B of the top panel 20 contacts the upper surface 11A of the side panel 11. With the lower surface 20B in contact with the upper surface 11A of the side panel 11, the top panel 20 can be placed stably on the side panel 11.

[0026] The worker moves the top plate 20 rearward relative to the cabinet main body 10. As a result, the top plate 20 is arranged in the correct assembly position relative to the cabinet main body 10. When the top plate 20 is moved from the front to the rear from the state shown in FIG. 8 to the state shown in FIG. 9, the protrusion 30 moves relatively within the recess 40 from a first position on the wide portion 42 side to a second position on the narrow portion 41 side. In this state, the narrow portion 41 of the recess 40 fits into the base end portion 52B of the protruding member 50, and the protrusion 30 cannot come out of the recess 40. As a result, the top plate 20 cannot move upward relative to the cabinet main body 10.

[0027] When dismantling the cabinet 1 for recycling or the like, the top plate 20 is moved forward. By moving the top plate 20 forward, the protrusion 30 moves from the second position to the first position within the recess 40. This allows the protrusion 30 to come out of the recess 40. When the top plate 20 is lifted upward in this position, the protrusion 30 comes out of the recess 40, and the top plate 20 and the cabinet main body 10 are separated. The top plate 20, which is an integrally molded resin product, can be effectively recycled as a resin material by being separated from the cabinet main body 10.

[0028] As described above, the cabinet 1 of the first embodiment includes a cabinet main body 10 and a top plate 20 disposed on the upper portion of the cabinet main body 10. The cabinet main body 10 and the top plate 20 are provided with a protrusion 30 and a recess 40, respectively. The protrusion 30 protrudes in the vertical direction. The vertical direction corresponds to a first direction according to the present disclosure. The recess 40 is recessed in the vertical direction, and the protrusion 30 is disposed therein. The protrusion 30 moves within the recess 40 between a first position where the protrusion 30 can be removed from the recess 40 and a second position where the protrusion 30 cannot be removed from the recess 40, by moving the top plate 20 relative to the cabinet main body 10 in the front-rear direction. The front-rear direction is a direction intersecting the vertical direction and corresponds to a second direction according to the present disclosure.

[0029] With this configuration, the cabinet 1 can be easily assembled and disassembled. For example, when the cabinet body and the top plate are connected with bolts and nuts, the use of tools is required, which is cumbersome. For example, when the cabinet body and the top plate are connected with adhesive, the adhesive needs time to cure. When disassembling, it is difficult to completely separate the adhesive at the adhesive joint. In contrast, when connecting the cabinet body 10 and the top plate 20 of the cabinet 1, the cabinet body 10 and the top plate 20 can be attached and detached without using tools, and no adhesive is used. Therefore, the cabinet 1 can be easily assembled and disassembled.

[0030] The cabinet 1 connects the cabinet body 10 and the top plate 20 by fitting the convex portion 30 into the concave portion 40. Therefore, the cabinet 1 can connect the cabinet body 10 and the top plate 20 with high precision even when the top plate 20 is assembled to the cabinet body 10 at the installation location of the cabinet 1. By transporting the cabinet 1 in a disassembled state, the cabinet 1 can take up less space in a transport vehicle, etc., compared to transporting the cabinet in an assembled state, thereby improving transportation efficiency.

[0031] In the cabinet 1, the protrusion 30 protrudes upward from the upper surface 11A of the side plate 11 of the cabinet main body 10, and the recess 40 is formed on the lower surface 20B of the top plate 20 that is placed on the upper surface 11A of the side plate 11. Therefore, in the cabinet 1, the protrusion 30 can be inserted into the recess 40 by placing the top plate 20 on the side plate 11 of the cabinet main body 10. In the cabinet 1, the protrusion 30 can be removed from the recess 40 by lifting the top plate 20 from the side plate 11. When the protrusion 30 is moved between the first position and the second position in the recess 40, the cabinet 1 can be operated in a stable state with the top plate 20 placed on the side plate 11.

[0032] In the cabinet 1, the protrusion 30 is formed by a protrusion member 50 inserted into a bottomed hole 11B, which is a hole formed in the upper surface 11A of the side plate 11. Therefore, the cabinet 1 can easily form the protrusion 30. For example, if the protrusion 30 is formed integrally with the side plate 11, complex processing is required for the side plate 11. In the case of the present embodiment, the cabinet 1 can easily form the protrusion 30 on the side plate 11 through the simple processing of forming a bottomed hole 11B in the side plate 11 and inserting the protrusion member 50 into this bottomed hole 11B.

[0033] In the cabinet 1, the recess 40 is integrally molded with the top plate 20. This simplifies the assembly process of the cabinet 1. The recess 40 is molded simultaneously with the molding of the top plate 20, which is formed by resin injection molding. This allows the top plate 20 of the cabinet 1 to be more recyclable than when the recess is formed as a separate member or material from the top plate.

[0034] In the cabinet 1, the protrusion 30 moves from the second position to the first position within the recess 40 by moving the top plate 20 forward relative to the cabinet main body 10. With this configuration, the top plate 20 can be attached to and detached from the cabinet main body 10 when the cabinet 1 is installed with its back to a wall. Therefore, when installing the cabinet 1, the installation work can be performed by placing the cabinet main body 10 in front of the wall and then assembling the top plate 20. When dismantling the cabinet 1, the top plate 20 can be removed from the cabinet main body 10 while the cabinet 1 remains in the installed position.

[0035] <Other embodiments> The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0036] The cabinet according to the present disclosure may be installed in a place other than a bathroom, such as a kitchen, etc. The cabinet may be installed at a position away from a wall of a building or the like, without having its back to the wall.

[0037] The configuration of the cabinet body according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited. The cabinet body may be a so-called open cabinet body that does not have doors, drawers, etc. The cabinet body does not need to have a storage space formed inside.

[0038] The shape, size, material, manufacturing method, etc. of the countertop according to the present disclosure are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiment. The countertop may have a flat shape without a bowl portion, a vertical wall portion, a front drape, etc. If the cabinet is to be placed in a kitchen, the countertop may have a kitchen sink portion.

[0039] The arrangement of the convex portions and concave portions according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and the convex portions and concave portions may be provided on the top plate side and the concave portions on the cabinet main body side, respectively.

[0040] The member on the cabinet body side on which either the protrusion or the recess according to the present disclosure is arranged is not limited to the side panel exemplified in the above embodiment, and may be any member on which the top plate is placed and supported.

[0041] The shape, size, number, etc. of the protrusions according to the present disclosure are not limited to those in the above embodiment. The protrusions may be cylindrical, prismatic, etc. The protrusions may be integrally formed on either the cabinet body or the top plate. When the protrusions are formed by a separate member such as a protruding member attached to either the cabinet body or the top plate, this separate member may be attached when assembling the cabinet.

[0042] The recess according to the present disclosure may be provided by later assembling a separate member having a recess formed therein to either the cabinet body or the top plate.

[0043] The first direction according to the present disclosure is not limited to the vertical direction exemplified in the above embodiment, and may be any direction. That is, the protruding direction of the convex portion and the recessed direction of the concave portion are not limited to the vertical direction.

[0044] The second direction according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited as long as it is a direction intersecting the first direction. From the viewpoint of simplifying the configuration of the convex portions and concave portions, the second direction is preferably a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0045] When the second direction according to the present disclosure is the front-to-rear direction, the protrusion may move from the second position in the recess to the first position by moving the top panel rearward relative to the cabinet body. In this case, by installing the cabinet with its back to a wall, the wall can restrict the front-to-rear movement of the top panel, preventing the top panel from accidentally detaching from the cabinet body.

[0046] The cabinet according to the present disclosure may have a restricting portion that restricts movement of the top plate in the second direction. This allows the cabinet to restrict movement of the top plate in the second direction. As a result, the cabinet can prevent the top plate from unintentionally detaching from the cabinet body during use. Examples of the restricting portion include a fixing bracket that secures the top plate to the cabinet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1... cabinet, 10... cabinet body, 11... side plate, 11A... upper surface of side plate, 11B... bottomed hole (hole in upper surface of side plate), 20... top plate, 20B... lower surface of top plate, 30... convex portion, 40... concave portion, 50... convex member

Claims

1. The cabinet body, a top plate disposed on the top of the cabinet body, a protrusion protruding along a first direction is provided on one of the cabinet body and the top plate, and a recess formed to be recessed along the first direction is provided on the other of the cabinet body and the top plate, and the protrusion is disposed in the recess; The cabinet, wherein the convex portion moves within the recess between a first position at which it can escape from the recess and a second position at which it cannot escape from the recess by moving the top plate relative to the cabinet body along a second direction that intersects the first direction.

2. the first direction is an up-down direction, The protrusion protrudes upward from the top surface of the cabinet body, The cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the recess is formed in the underside of the top plate that is placed on the upper surface.

3. The cabinet according to claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is formed by a protruding member inserted into a hole formed in the top surface.

4. The cabinet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the recess is integrally formed with the top plate.

5. the second direction is a front-to-rear direction, The cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion moves from the second position to the first position in the recess by moving the top plate forward relative to the cabinet body.

6. the second direction is a front-to-rear direction, The cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion moves from the second position to the first position in the recess by moving the top plate rearward relative to the cabinet body.

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