Panel unit coupling structure and panel structure

Abstract

To provide a panel unit connecting structure and a panel structure capable of connecting panel units without affecting design and workability.SOLUTION: In this panel unit connecting structure, the panel units are connected to each other by a connecting member 40. The panel unit includes a panel holding frame and a panel 70 held by the panel holding frame. The panel holding frame has stiles 53, 54 serving as connecting stiles connected to the other adjacent panel holding frame. A locking groove 517, which is an engaging groove opened in a facing surface facing another adjacent connecting stile, is formed in the connecting stile, and the connecting member 40 is arranged across one connecting stile and the other connecting stile adjacent to each other and engaged with the locking groove 517 to restrict the other connecting stile from moving in an in-plane direction and an out-of-plane direction of the panel unit with respect to the one connecting stile.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a panel unit connection structure for connecting panel units to each other, and to a panel structure having connected panel units. [Background technology]

[0002] Known examples include continuous windows, which are windows with shoji or panel bodies housed within a frame made up of upper and lower frames and left and right vertical frames, connected horizontally via mullions, and stepped windows, which are windows connected vertically via transoms (see, for example, Patent Document 1). These types of row or stepped windows were connected to the left and right or top and bottom windows via mullions or transoms, and the frames of these connected windows were attached to the main structure. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-24631 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, in simple buildings with surrounding walls and ceilings, such as outdoor garbage stations, when the wall surfaces are constructed from multiple panel units, there is a demand for a simple panel unit connection structure that can connect each panel unit without using mullions or the like, without compromising design or ease of construction, and a panel structure having connected panel units.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a panel unit connection structure and a panel structure that can connect panel units without affecting the design or workability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a panel unit connection structure that connects panel units together with a connecting member, wherein the panel unit is configured to include a panel holding frame and a panel held by the panel holding frame, the panel holding frame has a connecting frame that is connected to another adjacent panel holding frame, the connecting frame has an engaging groove that opens to an opposing surface that faces the other adjacent connecting frame, the connecting member is positioned across one adjacent connecting frame and the other adjacent connecting frame and engages with the engaging groove, and restricts the other connecting frame from moving in the in-plane and out-of-plane directions of the panel unit relative to the one connecting frame.

[0007] The present invention is a panel structure having a frame structure formed by connecting vertical members and horizontal members, and a panel unit attached to the frame structure, wherein the panel unit is formed with a panel holding frame and a panel held by the panel holding frame, the vertical member or the horizontal member is provided with a panel locking portion, the panel holding frame has a locking frame that locks with the panel locking portion and a connecting frame that is connected to another adjacent panel holding frame by a connecting member, the locking frame is formed with a locking groove that locks with the panel locking portion, the connecting frame is formed with an engagement groove that opens on an opposing surface that faces the other adjacent connecting frame, the connecting member is positioned across one adjacent connecting frame and the other connecting frame and engages with the engagement groove, and restricts the other connecting frame from moving in the in-plane and out-of-plane directions of the panel unit relative to the one connecting frame. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a panel unit connection structure and a panel structure that can connect panel units without affecting the design or workability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a panel structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a panel structure according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a panel structure according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the panel structure of the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is an external view showing a frame structure according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a mounting structure between a frame structure and a panel unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the panel structure of the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an external view showing the panel unit of the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an interior view showing the panel unit of the embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a connecting structure of a panel unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a method of joining vertical members and horizontal members in the embodiment. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a method of joining vertical members and horizontal members in the embodiment. [Figure 13] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a procedure for attaching the panel unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a procedure for attaching a connecting member to a panel unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 15] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a procedure for attaching the panel unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure in which two panel structures are connected in an embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which the panel structure is attached externally. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which the panel structure is attached externally. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which upper and lower panel units are connected by a connecting member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 disclose a panel structure 1 according to an embodiment. The panel structure 1 is used as a wall panel attached to upper and lower frames 2 to form a wall surface, and forms the wall of a simple building such as a garbage station or rest area installed outdoors, for example. In the following description, the outside of the building is defined as the outdoor side, and the inside as the indoor side. For this reason, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outdoor side of the panel structure 1, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the indoor side of the panel structure 1. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the panel structure 1, and FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the panel structure 1. The frame 2 is a wooden or metal frame material attached to pillars or the like of the building (not shown).

[0011] The panel structure 1 includes a frame structure 3 and a panel unit 5 that is detachably attached to the frame structure 3. In each cross-sectional view, some of the hatching indicating the cross section of the frame structure 3 and the panel unit 5 is omitted. In the following description, the left-right direction of the panel structure 1 is referred to as the X-axis direction, the up-down direction of the panel structure 1 is referred to as the Y-axis direction, and the forward direction of the panel structure 1 (indoor-outdoor direction) is referred to as the Z-axis direction. The X, Y, and Z-axis directions are perpendicular to each other. In the X-axis direction, the direction toward the left when viewing the panel structure 1 from the inside is referred to as the X1 direction, and the direction toward the right is referred to as the X2 direction. In the Y-axis direction, the upward direction is referred to as the Y1 direction, and the downward direction is referred to as the Y2 direction. In the Z-axis direction, the direction toward the outdoor side is referred to as the Z1 direction, and the direction toward the indoor side is referred to as the Z2 direction.

[0012] [Frame Structure] Next, we will explain the frame structure 3. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5, the frame structure 3 is made up of left and right vertical members 10, 20 and a horizontal member 30 attached between the vertical members 10, 20. The vertical member 10 is made of an extruded aluminum material, and as shown in FIG. 4, comprises a vertical member main body 11 and a vertical fin portion 12 extending from the end of the vertical member main body 11 facing the interior of the room. The vertical member body 11 is formed in the shape of a plate that is continuous in the up-down direction, and has an inner surface 111 and an outer surface 112 that are aligned in the Z-axis direction. The inner surface 111 is the inner peripheral surface of the frame structure 3, i.e. the surface facing the vertical members 20, and has a dovetail groove 113 that is continuous in the vertical direction. An AT material 6 is attached to the dovetail groove 113 to close the gap with the panel unit 5. At each end of the outer surface 112, on the outdoor side and indoor side, protrusions 114, 115 that protrude outward are formed continuously in the vertical direction. An engagement piece 116 is formed continuously in the vertical direction in the middle of the outer surface 112 in the Z-axis direction. The engagement piece 116 extends from the outer surface 112 in the X1 direction and further in the Z1 direction, forming a hook-shaped cross section. The surface of the engagement piece 116 facing the outer surface 112 is an inclined surface 117 that moves away from the outer surface 112 as it approaches the tip.

[0013] The vertical fin portions 12 extend from the indoor end of the vertical member main body 11 to the inner periphery side of the frame structure 3. That is, the vertical fin portions 12 extend from the vertical member main body 11 toward the vertical member 20 in the X2 direction.

[0014] The vertical member 20 is formed in the same manner as the vertical member 10, but differs in that the engagement piece 216 extends toward the interior of the room. That is, the vertical member 20 is made of an aluminum extrusion, and as shown in Figure 4, includes a vertical member main body 21 and a vertical fin portion 22 extending from the end of the vertical member main body 21 toward the interior of the room. The vertical member main body 21 is formed in the shape of a plate that is continuous in the vertical direction, and has an inner surface 211 and an outer surface 212 that are aligned along the Z-axis direction. The inner surface 211 is the surface on the inner periphery of the frame structure 3, i.e., the surface facing the vertical member 10, and has a dovetail groove 213 that is continuous in the vertical direction. The dovetail groove 213 is also fitted with an AT material 6 that closes the gap with the panel unit 5. At each end of the outer surface 212 on the outdoor side and indoor side, protrusions 214, 215 that protrude outward are formed continuously in the vertical direction. An engagement piece 216 is formed continuously in the vertical direction in the middle of the outer surface 212 in the Z-axis direction. The engagement piece 216 extends from the outer surface 212 in the X2 direction and further in the Z2 direction, forming a hook-shaped cross section. The surface of the engagement piece 216 facing the outer surface 212 is an inclined surface 217 that moves away from the outer surface 212 as it approaches the tip.

[0015] The vertical fin portions 22 extend from the indoor end of the vertical member main body 21 to the inner periphery side of the frame structure 3. That is, the vertical fin portions 22 extend from the vertical member main body 21 toward the vertical member 10 in the X1 direction.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 5, five horizontal members 30 are provided at approximately equal intervals between the vertical members 10 and 20. Each horizontal member 30 is an identical part made of an extruded aluminum member, and as shown in Fig. 6, includes a horizontal member main body 31, an upper horizontal fin portion 32 extending upward from the interior end of the horizontal member main body 31, and a lower horizontal fin portion 33 extending downward. Therefore, in this embodiment, the horizontal member 30 includes two horizontal fin portions, the upper horizontal fin portion 32 and the lower horizontal fin portion 33, which extend in the in-plane direction of the panel structure 1, specifically along the Y-axis direction. The horizontal member body 31 is formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder that continues in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), and has an upper surface portion 311 and a lower surface portion 312. A dovetail groove 313 that continues in the left-right direction is formed in the upper surface portion 311. An AT material 6 that closes the gap with the panel unit 5 is attached to the dovetail groove 313 of the horizontal members 30 other than the top horizontal member 30. A panel locking portion 314 is formed on the underside portion 312. The panel locking portion 314 is formed continuously in the left-right direction of the horizontal member main body 31 during extrusion molding of the horizontal member 30. As shown in FIG. 5 , the panel locking portion 314 is cut and removed to form removed portions 315, 316 at the left-right intermediate position of the horizontal member 30 and at both left and right end positions of the horizontal member main body 31. The removed portions 315, 316 from which the panel locking portion 314 has been removed are areas where corner portions where the upper frame 51 and vertical frames 53, 54 of the panel unit 5 described below are joined are located. By removing the panel locking portion 314 by the removed portions 315, 316, the vertical frames 53, 54 of the panel unit 5 can be positioned without interfering with the panel locking portion 314. 6, the panel locking portion 314 extends downward from the lower surface portion 312 and further extends toward the exterior of the room in an arc-shaped cross section, forming a hook shape. Therefore, an opening that is open to the exterior is formed along the left-right direction between the tip of the panel locking portion 314 and the lower surface portion 312. In other words, the panel locking portion 314 is oriented so that the opening faces the exterior side, which is opposite the interior side where the lower horizontal fin portion 33 is provided. An abutment portion 317 that protrudes downward from the lower surface portion 312 and abuts against the upper surface of the upper frame 51 of the panel unit 5 is formed on the indoor side of the base end of the panel locking portion 314.

[0017] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the frame structure 3 is attached to the upper frame 2 and the lower frame 2 with brackets 90. The brackets 90 are made of L-angle material and are attached to the upper and lower ends of the vertical fin portions 12, 22 of the vertical members 10, 20 with bolts 91 and nuts 92, respectively, and are attached to the frame 2 with screws 93. By using the brackets 90 made of L-angle material, the frame structure 3 is attached as an internal structure disposed between the upper and lower frames 2.

[0018] 7, new vertical members 20, 10 may be placed outside the vertical members 10, 20, and the engaging pieces 116, 216 of the vertical members 10 and 20 may be engaged with each other. In this case, the left and right vertical members of the frame structure 3 are composed of the vertical member 10 as the first divided vertical member and the vertical member 20 as the second divided vertical member. Then, a bracket 90A is placed across the vertical fin portions 12, 22 of the vertical members 10, 20 and attached with bolts 91 and nuts 92, and this bracket 90A is attached to the frame 2 with screws 93. In this way, the left and right vertical members of the frame structure 3 are composed of the vertical members 10 and 20, respectively, so that the engaging pieces 116, 216 are not exposed to the outside of the vertical members, and the left and right vertical members of the frame structure 3 can be composed of two vertical members 10, 20, thereby improving rigidity.

[0019] [Panel unit] Next, the configuration of the panel unit 5 will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 in addition to Fig. 3 to Fig. 7. Fig. 8 is an external view of the panel unit 5 as seen from the outside of the room, and Fig. 9 is an internal view of the panel unit 5 as seen from the inside of the room. The panel unit 5 includes a panel holding frame 50 and a panel 70 held by the panel holding frame 50. The material and configuration of the panel 70 may be selected appropriately depending on the implementation. The panel holding frame 50 comprises an upper frame 51, a lower frame 52, left and right vertical frames 53, 54, an upper edge 61, a lower edge 62, and left and right vertical edges 63, 64. The upper frame 51 is made of extruded aluminum and, as shown in Figure 6, comprises a frame body 510 formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, an outer extension piece 511 extending upward (in the Y1 direction) from the outdoor end of the frame body 510, a protrusion 512 protruding from the tip of the outer extension piece 511 toward the indoor side (in the Z2 direction), a retaining piece 513 extending downward (in the Y2 direction) from the outdoor end of the frame body 510, a locking piece 514 protruding toward the indoor side from near the base end of the retaining piece 513, and a hook-shaped locking piece 515 extending downward from the indoor end of the frame body 510 and further extending toward the outdoor side (in the Z1 direction) and positioned opposite the locking piece 514. The frame body 510 is formed with a curved surface portion 516 facing the outer extension piece 511, and the space between the outer extension piece 511 and the curved surface portion 516 forms a locking groove 517 in which the panel locking portion 314 is positioned and locked. The surface of the locking groove 517 formed by the curved surface portion 516 is shaped to follow the arcuate surface of the panel locking portion 314, so that when the locking groove 517 is hooked onto the panel locking portion 314, the upper frame 51 can be smoothly rotated with the panel locking portion 314 as a fulcrum. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6 , when the panel unit 5 is arranged vertically relative to the frame structure 3, the tip of the panel locking portion 314 abuts against the protrusion 512 and the abutment portion 317 abuts against the upper surface of the frame body 510, thereby restricting the rotation of the upper frame 51 with the panel locking portion 314 as a fulcrum.

[0020] The lower frame 52 is made of extruded aluminum with the same cross-sectional shape as the upper frame 51, and therefore, as shown in Figure 6, the same components as those of the upper frame 51 are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. In addition, shoulder screws 55 are screwed into two locations, one on the left and one on the right, on the indoor surface of the frame body 510 of the lower frame 52 that faces the upper horizontal fin portion 32, as shown in Figures 6 and 9. As shown in Figure 6, when the panel unit 5 is arranged vertically, the shoulder screws 55 abut against the outdoor surface of the upper horizontal fin portion 32. The vertical frames 53 and 54 are made of extruded aluminum material with the same cross-sectional shape as the upper frame 51, and therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, the same components as the upper frame 51 are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 8 and 9, the longitudinal ends of upper frame 51, lower frame 52, and vertical frames 53 and 54 are cut at a 45-degree angle, corner blocks 56 are inserted into the hollows of frame body 510, the ends cut at 45 degrees are butted together, and frame body 510 is crimped at the recesses of corner block 56 to form a rectangular frame. Corner block 56 is made of aluminum, the same metal material as upper frame 51, lower frame 52, and vertical frames 53 and 54.

[0021] The upper edge 61 is made of extruded aluminum and, as shown in Figure 6, has a locking portion 611 that locks between the locking pieces 514 and 515 of the upper frame 51, and a retaining piece portion 612 that extends downward from the locking portion 611, i.e., toward the inner circumference of the panel unit 5, and further extends to the outside of the room. As shown in Figures 6 and 10, the lower sill 62 and the vertical sills 63, 64 are made of extruded aluminum material with the same cross-sectional shape as the upper sill 61, and therefore the same components as the upper sill 61 are given the same reference numerals and their explanations are omitted. In addition, the upper sill 61, the lower sill 62 and the vertical sills 63, 64 are made in a vertical joint type, with the upper sill 61 and the lower sill 62 positioned between the upper and lower ends of the vertical sills 63, 64, in consideration of the ease of assembling the sills. A post-installation bead 65 is attached between each holding piece 612 of the upper ledge 61, lower ledge 62, and vertical ledges 63 and 64 and the panel 70, and this post-installation bead 65 and the holding piece 513 of the upper frame 51 hold the panel 70.

[0022] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the panel unit 5 configured as described above is secured by hooking and engaging the panel engaging portion 314 of the cross member 30 into the engaging groove 517 of the upper frame 51, and then a synthetic resin attachment 80 is attached to clamp the head of the shoulder screw 55 and the upper cross fin 32 while the shoulder screw 55 of the lower frame 52 is abutted against the upper cross fin 32 of the cross member 30. As shown in Figure 2, the attachment 80 is a piece-like member provided at the position of the shoulder screw 55. It has a roughly U-shaped cross section and is made up of an exterior piece 81 inserted into the exterior side of the head of the shoulder screw 55, an interior piece 82 positioned on the interior side of the upper cross fin 32, and a connecting piece 83 connecting the exterior piece 81 and the interior piece 82. A groove is formed in the exterior piece 81 into which the body of the shoulder screw 55 is inserted. Therefore, the attachment 80 is a fixing device that fixes the panel unit 5 to the frame structure 3. In this embodiment, the upper frame 51 formed in the panel locking portion 314 is the locking frame, the lower frame 52 fixed to the frame structure 3 by the attachment 80, which is a fixing device, is the fixed frame, and the head of the shoulder screw 55 is the fixing piece.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, two panel units 5 are arranged between vertical member 10 and vertical member 20, with no vertical members 10, 20 provided between these two panel units 5. The panel unit 5 has its locking groove 517 locked in the panel locking portion 314 and is attached to the upper horizontal fin portion 32 by an attachment 80, with the locking groove 517 being movable in the X-axis direction relative to the panel locking portion 314, and the attachment 80 also being movable in the X-axis direction relative to the upper horizontal fin portion 32. For this reason, as shown in Figures 4 and 10, the two panel units 5 arranged on the left and right are connected by a connecting member 40.

[0024] 10, the connecting member 40 is made of an extruded aluminum material and includes a base portion 41, a closing portion 42, a fitting portion 43, and a fitting portion 44. The longitudinal dimension of the connecting member 40 is slightly smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the outer periphery of the vertical frames 53, 54. The base portion 41 is disposed between the frame bodies 510 of the vertical frames 53, 54 of the two panel units 5, and is formed in the shape of a plate extending in the Z-axis direction. The blocking portion 42 is formed to protrude in the left-right direction from the indoor end of the base portion 41, and to block the gap between the left and right frame bodies 510. The mating portion 43 comprises an extension piece 431 extending from the exterior end of the base portion 41 along the locking groove 517 of the vertical frame 53, and an abutment piece 432 protruding from the tip of the extension piece 431 toward the vertical frame 54 and abutting against the protrusion piece 512. The mating portion 44 is formed in a bilaterally symmetrical shape to the mating portion 43, and comprises an extension piece 441 extending from the outdoor end of the base portion 41 along the locking groove 517 of the vertical frame 54, and an abutment piece 442 protruding from the tip of the extension piece 441 toward the vertical frame 53 and abutting against the protrusion piece 512.

[0025] The closing portion 42 of the connecting member 40 is disposed between the frame bodies 510 of the vertical frames 53, 54, and the extending pieces 431, 441 of the fitting portion 43 abut against the locking grooves 517 of the vertical frames 53, 54, thereby restricting the vertical frames 53, 54 from moving toward each other. Furthermore, the abutting pieces 432, 442 of the fitting portion 43 abut against the protruding pieces 512 of the vertical frames 53, 54, thereby restricting the vertical frames 53, 54 from moving away from each other. Therefore, the connecting member 40 restricts the positions of the vertical frames 53, 54 in the X-axis direction, i.e., the left-right positions of the two adjacent panel units 5. Furthermore, fitting portions 43, 44 are arranged along locking groove 517 and abut against outer extension piece 511 and curved surface portion 516, thereby restricting the positions of vertical frames 53, 54 in the Z-axis direction, i.e., the indoor / outdoor direction, relative to connecting member 40. Therefore, the outdoor and indoor surfaces of vertical frames 53, 54 can be aligned in the X-axis direction. Therefore, of the upper frame 51, the lower frame 52, and the vertical frames 53, 54, the vertical frames 53, 54 connected by the connecting member 40 become the connecting frames. The vertical frames 53, 54, which are the connecting frames, have locking grooves 517 formed as engagement grooves that open on the opposing surfaces that face each other. The connecting member 40 restricts the vertical frame 54, which is one connecting frame, from moving in the in-plane direction (X-axis direction) and out-of-plane direction (Z-axis direction) of the panel unit 5 relative to the vertical frame 53, which is one connecting frame. Furthermore, the dimension of the connecting member 40 in the Z-axis direction, i.e., the projection direction, is smaller than the projection direction dimensions of the vertical frames 53, 54, and is sized to fit within the projection dimensions of the vertical frames 53, 54. The projection direction position of the connecting member 40 is within the range of the opposing surfaces of the vertical frames 53, 54, i.e., within the range from the outdoor edge of the protruding piece 512, which is one end of the opposing surfaces, to the indoor edge of the frame main body 510, which is the other end. Therefore, the connecting member 40 is positioned so as not to protrude from the outdoor or indoor surfaces of the vertical frames 53, 54. Furthermore, the connecting member 40 can close the gap between the vertical frames 53, 54 by having the fitting portions 43, 44 extending from the base portion 41 engage with the locking grooves 517 of the left and right vertical frames 53, 54 and the blocking portion 42 being positioned between the left and right frame main bodies 510.

[0026] [How to assemble the wall unit] Next, a method for assembling the panel structure 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. To assemble the frame structure 3, first, the vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30 are manufactured by aluminum extrusion molding. Then, part of the panel engaging portion 314 of the horizontal member 30 is cut off to form the removed portions 315, 316. Next, each horizontal member 30 is placed between the left and right vertical members 10, 20. At this time, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the longitudinal ends of the horizontal members 30 are placed opposite the vertical member bodies 11, 21 of the vertical members 10, 20, and the upper horizontal fin portions 32 and lower horizontal fin portions 33 of the horizontal members 30 are placed in contact with the outdoor side of the vertical fin portions 12, 22 of the vertical members 10, 20. Then, at the position where the vertical fins 12, 22 and the upper horizontal fin 32 overlap, a joining tool T is rotated and pressed against the upper horizontal fin 32 from the exterior of the building to join the vertical fins 12, 22 and the upper horizontal fin 32 by solid-state welding, specifically, friction stir welding. The thickness of the upper horizontal fin 32 is 1.5 mm, while the thickness of the vertical fins 12, 22 is set to 3.0 mm, approximately twice as thick. This reduces the occurrence of white blurring on the interior surface of the friction stir welded area and prevents a deterioration in the design of the interior surface of the panel structure 1. Although friction stir welding traces are generated on the upper horizontal fin 32 side, the exterior surface of the upper horizontal fin 32 is hidden by the panel unit 5 except for the top horizontal member 30 of the panel structure 1, thereby preventing a deterioration in the design of the exterior surface of the panel structure 1. After assembling the frame structure 3, the AT material 6 is attached to the dovetail grooves 113, 213, 313. Thereafter, the frame structure 3 is placed between the upper and lower frames 2, and the frame structure 3 is attached to the frames 2 using the brackets 90.

[0027] In addition, the panel unit 5 is assembled separately from the frame structure 3. That is, as described above, the upper frame 51, lower frame 52, and vertical frame 53, 54 are connected using corner blocks 56. Next, the panel 70 is placed within the framed upper frame 51, lower frame 52, and vertical frame 53, 54, and the upper battens 61, lower battens 62, and vertical battens 63, 64 are attached to the upper frame 51, lower frame 52, and vertical frame 53, 54, and further, an after-market bead 65 is attached, thereby assembling the panel unit 5. Note that by selecting the after-market bead 65 according to the thickness dimension of the panel 70, panels 70 of various thickness dimensions can be attached.

[0028] Next, the panel unit 5 is attached to the frame structure 3. As shown in FIG. 13(A), the upper frame 51 of the panel unit 5 is hooked onto the panel locking portion 314 of the cross member 30 from the outside of the room. In this embodiment, when the panel unit 5 is tilted by approximately 70 degrees or more, as shown in FIG. 13(A), the protrusion 512 of the upper frame 51 can be inserted into the gap between the panel locking portion 314 and the underside portion 312. This allows the panel locking portion 314 to be hooked into the locking groove 517 of the upper frame 51, as shown in FIG. 13(B). Then, the panel unit 5 can be rotated around the panel locking portion 314 as a fulcrum so that the lower frame 52 moves toward the inside of the room and is aligned vertically. Then, as shown in Figure 14, after hooking the two left and right panel units 5 onto the panel locking portions 314 of the cross member 30, each panel unit 5 is tilted diagonally, and the connecting member 40 is inserted into the locking grooves 517 opening at the lower ends of the vertical frames 53, 54 to connect the vertical frames 53, 54.

[0029] Next, the left and right panel units 5 connected by the connecting members 40 are rotated as shown in FIG. 13(B) so that the shoulder screws 55 of the lower frame 52 come into contact with the upper horizontal fin portions 32 of the horizontal members 30. Next, the attachment 80 is inserted into the shoulder screw 55 and the upper horizontal fin portion 32 to fix the lower frame 52 to the horizontal member 30. In this manner, the panel units 5 are attached to the frame structure 3, and the panel structure 1 is assembled. Furthermore, when multiple panel structures 1 are arranged side by side, the engaging pieces 116, 216 of the vertical members 10 and 20 of adjacent panel structures 1 are engaged with each other, as shown in Fig. 16. When the engaging pieces 116, 216 are engaged with each other, the vertical members 10, 20 are drawn toward each other by the inclined surfaces 117, 217. Then, the vertical members 10, 20 can be attached to the frame 2 using the bracket 90A.

[0030] Furthermore, when replacing an installed panel unit 5, the attachment 80 can be removed, the lower frame 52 moved to the outside of the room, and the panel unit 5 tilted at approximately 70 degrees, thereby removing the panel unit 5 from the panel locking portion 314. A new panel unit 5 can then be attached to the frame structure 3 using the procedure described above. This makes it easy to replace the panel unit 5. When replacing only one of the panel units 5 connected by the connecting member 40, the panel unit 5 can be tilted and the connecting member 40 removed from the locking groove 517 to release the connection of the panel units 5.

[0031] When a building using the panel structure 1 is demolished, many of the parts of the panel structure 1 can be recycled. That is, the brackets 90 are removed, and the panel structure 1 is removed from the frame 2. Furthermore, if multiple panel structures 1 are installed side by side, the engagement pieces 116, 216 that engage the panel structures 1 together are removed. Next, the AT material 6 is removed from the frame structure 3 from which the panel unit 5 has been removed. As a result, the frame structure 3 is composed only of the vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30. The vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30 are joined by friction stir welding, a solid-state welding method, without using screws or the like, so the frame structure 3 is composed only of metal materials of the same material, i.e., aluminum members. Therefore, the vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30 can be easily recycled without having to be disassembled. The panel 70 is removed by removing the after-installation bead 65 from the panel unit 5, and then removing the upper ledge 61, lower ledge 62, and vertical ledges 63 and 64. The shoulder screw 55 is also removed from the lower stile 52. The panel holding frame 50 is now comprised of only the upper stile 51, lower stile 52, vertical stiles 53 and 54, and corner block 56, all of which are made of the same metal material, aluminum. Therefore, the panel holding frame 50 can be easily recycled without disassembling it. Furthermore, because the upper ledge 61, lower ledge 62, and vertical ledges 63 and 64 are also made of the same metal material, aluminum, they can be recycled together with the frame structure 3 and the panel holding frame 50. Furthermore, because the connecting member 40 is also made of aluminum, it can be recycled without removing it from the vertical stiles 53 and 54.

[0032] [Effects of the embodiment] The vertical fin portions 12, 22 of the vertical members 10, 20 and the upper horizontal fin portion 32 of the horizontal member 30 are overlapped and joined by friction stir welding, which is a solid-state welding method. This eliminates the need to join the vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30 using joining members such as screws, improving joining workability and enabling the vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30 to be joined with high quality and high strength. Also, since there is no need to form screw holes in the vertical members 10, 20 or the horizontal member 30, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing costs of the vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30. Furthermore, since the frame structure 3 is made up of the vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30 which are aluminum extrusion profiles and are joined together by solid-state welding without using screws or the like, the vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30 can be recycled in a joined state, thereby improving recyclability. In addition, the panel unit 5 attached to the frame structure 3 can hide the friction stir welded parts of the upper horizontal fin portions 32, improving the design. Furthermore, by increasing the thickness of the vertical fin portions 12, 22, it is possible to prevent white blurring from occurring in the vertical fin portions 12, 22, improving the design in this respect as well. By engaging the engaging pieces 116, 216 of the vertical members 10, 20 with each other, a plurality of panel structures 1 can be arranged in succession, thereby enabling wall surfaces of various sizes to be constructed.

[0033] The upper frame 51 of the panel unit 5 is hooked onto and locked in the panel locking portion 314 of the cross member 30, so the panel unit 5 can be suspended and prevented from falling off. Furthermore, when the panel unit 5 is suspended by being locked in the panel locking portion 314, the worker does not need to support the panel unit 5, so the installation work of the attachment 80 can be easily performed. Furthermore, the panel unit 5 can be easily removed from the frame structure 3, so the replacement work of the panel unit 5 can also be easily performed. The panel unit 5 is hooked onto the panel locking part 314 and fixed by clamping the head of the shoulder screw 55 and the upper horizontal fin part 32 with the attachment 80, so that even if an error occurs in the height dimension of the frame structure 3 or the panel unit 5, it can be absorbed by the attachment 80. The panel unit 5 can be easily removed from the frame structure 3, and further, the panel 70 of the panel unit 5 can be easily removed by removing the after-installation bead 65, the upper ledge 61, the lower ledge 62, and the vertical ledges 63, 64, so that the recyclability of the panel unit 5 can also be improved.

[0034] The left and right panel units 5 are connected using the connecting member 40, which eliminates the need to provide a vertical member between the left and right panel units 5, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, the connecting member 40 can be easily installed because it can connect the vertical frames 53, 54 simply by inserting it from the ends of the vertical frames 53, 54. Furthermore, with the left and right panel units 5 connected by the connecting member 40, each panel unit 5 can be rotated to bring the shoulder screw 55 of the lower frame 52 into contact with the upper horizontal fin portion 32 and fixed with the attachment 80, thereby improving construction workability. The connecting member 40 can close the gap between the left and right panel units 5, improving the design. Because the connecting member 40 fits within the projected dimensions of the vertical frames 53, 54, the connecting member 40 does not protrude from the vertical frames 53, 54 to be exposed on the outside or inside of the room, and there is no need to increase the projected dimensions of the vertical frames 53, 54, improving the design. The locking grooves 517 of the vertical frames 53 and 54 into which the mating portions 43 and 44 of the connecting member 40 fit have the same shape as the locking groove 517 of the upper frame 51 into which the panel locking portion 314 engages, so the upper frame 51, lower frame 52, and vertical frames 53 and 54 can be made from aluminum extrusions of the same cross-sectional shape, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0035] [Variations] In the above embodiment, the panel structure 1 is attached internally to the frame 2, but as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the panel structure 1 may be attached externally to the frame 2. In this case, without using a bracket 90, the vertical fin portions 12, 22 of the vertical members 10, 20 may be abutted against the exterior surface of the frame 2, and the vertical members 10, 20 and the frame 2 may be directly joined with screws 93. In the above embodiment, the panel locking portion 314 is formed on the lower surface 312 of the cross member 30, and the locking groove 517 of the upper frame 51 is hooked onto the panel locking portion 314 for locking, but for example, the panel locking portion 314 may be formed on the upper surface 311 of the cross member 30, and the locking groove 517 of the lower frame 52 may be hooked onto the panel locking portion 314 for locking. In this case, shoulder screws 55 are attached to the upper frame 51, and the shoulder screws 55 are brought into contact with the lower horizontal fin portions 33 of the cross member 30, and the attachment 80 is inserted from below to secure the cross member 30 in place.

[0036] Also, a panel locking portion 314 may be formed on the vertical member 10 or 20, and the locking groove 517 of the vertical stile 53 or 54 may be hooked onto the panel locking portion 314 for locking. In this case, since one of the vertical stiles 53 or 54 is locked to the panel locking portion 314, a shoulder screw 55 may be attached to the other of the vertical stiles 53 or 54, and an attachment 80 may be inserted from the side into the vertical fin portions 12, 22 of the vertical member 10 or 20 and the shoulder screw 55 to secure them, or similar to the above embodiment, a shoulder screw 55 may be attached to the lower stile 52 and fixed to the upper horizontal fin portion 32 of the horizontal member 30 with the attachment 80. Furthermore, the panel structure 1 may be configured so that the upper horizontal fin portion 32 and the lower horizontal fin portion 33 are on the outside of the room and the tip of the panel locking portion 314 is facing inside the room, so that the panel unit 5 is locked to the panel locking portion 314 and attached from inside the room.

[0037] In the above embodiment, the left and right panel units 5 were connected to each other by a connecting member 40, but for example, if two panel units 5 are arranged one above the other between upper and lower cross members 30 as shown in Figure 19, the lower frame 52 of the upper panel unit 5 and the upper frame 51 of the lower panel unit 5 may be connected to each other by a connecting member 40. In the above embodiment, the horizontal members 30 are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction, but the arrangement intervals of the horizontal members 30 are not limited to being equal intervals. In other words, the arrangement intervals of the horizontal members 30 may be set according to the size of the panel units 5 to be attached to the horizontal members 30.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the panel unit 5 engaged with the panel engaging portion 314 of the frame structure 3 is fixed to the frame structure 3 using the attachment 80 that clamps the shoulder screw 55 attached to the lower frame 52 and the upper horizontal fin portion 32 of the horizontal member 30 to fix the panel unit 5, but the present invention is not limited to this structure. For example, instead of providing the shoulder screw 55, a fin portion with an L-shaped cross section may be formed on the indoor surface of the lower frame 52, and this fin portion may be abutted against the upper horizontal fin portion 32 of the horizontal member 30 and clamped by the attachment 80. In this case, the shoulder screw 55 is not required, thereby improving recyclability. Furthermore, the fasteners may be any fasteners capable of fastening the panel unit 5, which is hooked onto the panel locking portion 314 and rotated indoors around the panel locking portion 314 as a fulcrum and positioned along a vertical plane, so as to prevent it from rotating outdoors, and the specific structure is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, a through-hole may be formed in the upper horizontal fin portion 32, and a screw threaded through this through-hole into the lower frame 52 may be used as the fastener. Furthermore, the number and locations of the fasteners are not limited to the above embodiment.

[0039] The upper frame 51, the lower frame 52, and the vertical frames 53 and 54 of the panel holding frame 50 have the same cross section. shapeThe present invention is not limited to those made of shaped materials. For example, the upper frame 51 serving as the locking frame and the vertical frames 53 and 54 serving as the connecting frames may be made of shaped materials with the same cross-sectional shape, and the lower frame 52 serving as the fixed frame may be made of a shaped material with a different cross-sectional shape from the upper frame 51 and the vertical frames 53 and 54, for example, a shaped material with a fin portion that abuts the upper horizontal fin portion 32. Furthermore, the locking frame and the connecting frame may be made of shaped materials with different cross-sectional shapes. For example, the upper frame 51 may be made of a shaped material with a locking groove 517 that engages with the panel locking portion 314, the lower frame 52 may be made of a shaped material with a fin portion that abuts the upper horizontal fin portion 32, and the vertical frames 53 and 54 may be made of a shaped material with an engagement groove that engages with the connecting member 40. The panel holding frame 50 is not limited to one having an upper frame 51, a lower frame 52, vertical frames 53, 54, an upper edge 61, a lower edge 62, vertical edges 63, 64, and an after-market bead 65, but may be any frame that can hold the panel 70 and has an engagement groove into which the connecting member 40 engages.

[0040] The panel unit connection structure of the present invention is not limited to being used to connect panel units 5 that are attached by hooking the locking groove 517 onto the panel locking portion 314, as in the above embodiment, but may also be used, for example, as a connection structure for panel units 5 that are attached to a frame structure 3 with bolts, nuts, etc. The connecting member 40 is not limited to being fitted within the range of the opposing surfaces of the connecting frames, the vertical frames 53 and 54. For example, the indoor end of the connecting member 40 may be extended toward the indoor side to form a blocking portion that abuts against the indoor facing surfaces of the vertical frames 53 and 54. The connecting member 40 may not have the function of sealing the gap between the connecting frames 53, 54, as in the above embodiment. For example, the longitudinal dimension of the connecting member 40 may be shorter than the longitudinal dimension of the connecting frames 53, 54. In this case, since there are portions between the connecting frames 53, 54 where the connecting member 40 is not disposed and a gap is generated, a sealing material may be separately provided to seal the gap between the connecting frames 53, 54.

[0041] In the above embodiment, the vertical fin portions 12, 22 of the vertical members 10, 20 and the upper horizontal fin portion 32 of the horizontal member 30 were joined by friction stir welding, but the vertical fin portions 12, 22 may be joined to the lower horizontal fin portion 33, or the vertical fin portions 12, 22 may be joined to the upper horizontal fin portion 32 and the lower horizontal fin portion 33. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the frame structure 3 is a vertically long frame structure in which multiple horizontal members 30 are arranged between the vertical members 10, 20, but it may also be a horizontally long frame structure in which multiple vertical members 10, 20 are arranged between upper and lower horizontal members 30. In this case, the vertical fin portions 12, 22 of the vertical members 10, 20 may be overlapped and joined to the lower horizontal fin portion 33 of the upper horizontal member 30 and the upper horizontal fin portion 32 of the lower horizontal member 30. The solid-state welding that joins the vertical fin portions 12, 22 of the vertical members 10, 20 with the upper horizontal fin portion 32 and the lower horizontal fin portion 33 of the horizontal member 30 is not limited to friction stir welding. In other words, solid-state welding includes both welding that involves pressure and welding that is performed without pressure, and typical solid-state welding includes various types of pressure welding (pressure welding) such as friction welding, forge welding, diffusion welding, hot pressure welding, cold pressure welding (room temperature pressure welding), explosive welding, and gas pressure welding, so it is only necessary to use an appropriate solid-state welding method depending on the materials of the vertical and horizontal members, etc. Furthermore, the vertical members 10, 20 and the horizontal member 30 are not limited to being joined by solid-state welding, but may be connected by bolts and nuts, or, for example, by forming screw holes integrally with the horizontal member 30 and threading screws into the screw holes through through holes formed in the vertical members 10, 20.

[0042] The vertical and horizontal members are not limited to being made of the same metal material, such as aluminum, but may be made of different metal materials. For example, the vertical members may be made of steel and the horizontal members may be made of aluminum. In the above embodiment, the panel structure 1 is used as a wall panel, but it may also be used as a ceiling panel or roof panel for a simple building such as a storeroom.

[0043] [summary] The present invention is a panel unit connection structure that connects panel units together with a connecting member, wherein the panel unit is configured to include a panel holding frame and a panel held by the panel holding frame, the panel holding frame has a connecting frame that is connected to another adjacent panel holding frame, the connecting frame has an engaging groove that opens to an opposing surface that faces the other adjacent connecting frame, the connecting member is positioned across one adjacent connecting frame and the other adjacent connecting frame and engages with the engaging groove, and restricts the other connecting frame from moving in the in-plane and out-of-plane directions of the panel unit relative to the one connecting frame. According to the present invention, adjacent panel units are connected using connecting members, eliminating the need for mullions or rafters between panel units, reducing costs and reducing the overall dimensions of the panel connection, improving design. Furthermore, because the panels are connected by engaging the connecting members with the engaging grooves of the connecting frames, there is no need to use screws or other fasteners, improving workability. Therefore, panel units can be connected without affecting design or workability.

[0044] In the panel unit connection structure of the present invention, it is preferable that the projected dimension of the connecting member is less than or equal to the projected dimension of the opposing surface of the connecting frame, and that the projected direction position of the connecting member is within the range of the opposing surface of the connecting frame. According to the present invention, connecting members are arranged between the opposing surfaces of each connecting frame, and are arranged within the range from one end to the other end of the opposing surfaces in the projected direction, so that the connecting members do not protrude to the outside of the panel unit, thereby further improving the design.

[0045] In the panel unit connection structure of the present invention, the opposing surfaces of the connecting frame are provided with the engagement groove and a frame body, and the connecting member comprises a base portion arranged between the frame bodies, an engagement portion extending from one end of the base portion in the forward direction and engaging with the engagement groove, and a blocking portion extending from the other end of the base portion in the forward direction and closing the gap between the frame bodies, and it is preferable that the engagement portion and the blocking portion close the gap between the connecting frames. According to the present invention, the connecting member has a fitting portion extending from one end of the base portion in the projection direction and a blocking portion extending from the other end of the base portion in the projection direction, thereby blocking the gaps between the connecting frames. Therefore, the connecting member has the function of blocking the gaps between the connecting frames in addition to connecting the connecting frames, so there is no need to provide a blocking material separate from the connecting member, and costs can be reduced without compromising the design.

[0046] The present invention is a panel structure having a frame structure formed by connecting vertical members and horizontal members, and a panel unit attached to the frame structure, wherein the panel unit is formed with a panel holding frame and a panel held by the panel holding frame, the vertical member or the horizontal member is provided with a panel locking portion, the panel holding frame has a locking frame that locks with the panel locking portion and a connecting frame that is connected to another adjacent panel holding frame by a connecting member, the locking frame is formed with a locking groove that locks with the panel locking portion, the connecting frame is formed with an engagement groove that opens on an opposing surface that faces the other adjacent connecting frame, the connecting member is positioned across one adjacent connecting frame and the other connecting frame and engages with the engagement groove, and restricts the other connecting frame from moving in the in-plane and out-of-plane directions of the panel unit relative to the one connecting frame. According to the present invention, adjacent panel units are connected using connecting members, eliminating the need for vertical or horizontal members between the panel units, thereby reducing costs and enabling a smaller overall dimension of the panel connection, improving design. Furthermore, because the connecting members are engaged with the engaging grooves of the connecting frames, there is no need to use screws or other fasteners for connection, improving workability. Therefore, panel units can be connected without affecting design or workability. Furthermore, because the panel unit's locking frame is hooked and locked into the panel locking portion of the vertical or horizontal member, even when multiple panel units are attached to a frame structure to form a wall, the individual panel units can be attached by sequentially hooking their engagement grooves into the panel locking portions of the frame structure, and the connecting frames of each panel unit can be connected together with the connecting members, improving workability.

[0047] In the panel structure of the present invention, it is preferable that the connecting frame and the locking frame are made of shaped members having the same cross-sectional shape. According to the present invention, the connecting frame and the locking frame are made of shaped members having the same cross-sectional shape, which reduces manufacturing costs compared to when each frame is made of shaped members having different cross-sectional shapes.

[0048] In the panel structure of the present invention, it is preferable that the panel holding frame comprises a framed upper frame, a lower frame, and left and right vertical frames, and that the upper frame, the lower frame, and the left and right vertical frames are made of shaped members having the same cross-sectional shape. According to the present invention, because the upper frame, lower frame, and left and right vertical frames all have engagement grooves, all frames can be used as locking frames or connecting frames. Therefore, the same panel unit can be used in cases where the upper frame or lower frame is used as the locking frame and the left and right vertical frames are used as connecting frames, or in cases where one of the left and right vertical frames is used as the locking frame and the upper frame and lower frame are used as connecting frames. Therefore, the same panel unit can be used for various installations, reducing costs.

[0049] In the panel structure of the present invention, it is preferable that the panel retaining frame comprises a framed upper frame, a lower frame, and left and right vertical frames, the panel locking portion is formed on the underside of the cross member, the locking frame is the upper frame, the connecting frame is the vertical frame, the engagement groove is opened at the lower end of the vertical frame, the connecting member is inserted into the engagement groove from the lower end of the vertical frame, and the lower frame is fixed to the frame structure by a fixing device. According to the present invention, the panel unit can be suspended by hooking the upper frame of the panel unit onto the panel locking portion formed on the underside of the cross member, preventing the panel unit from falling off. Furthermore, when the panel unit is suspended by being locked onto the panel locking portion, the worker does not need to support the panel unit, making it easy to connect the panel unit using the connecting member. Furthermore, the connecting member can be easily inserted into the engagement groove from the bottom end of the vertical frame, which serves as the connecting frame, making installation easy. Furthermore, with the left and right panel units suspended from the cross member connected by the connecting member, each panel unit can be rotated and the lower frame fixed to the cross member with a fixing device, thereby improving construction workability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1...Panel structure, 2...Frame, 3...Frame structure, 5...Panel unit, 6...AT material, 10...Vertical member, 11...Vertical member main body, 12...Vertical fin portion, 20...Vertical member, 21...Vertical member main body, 22...Vertical fin portion, 30...Horizontal member, 31...Horizontal member main body, 32...Upper horizontal fin portion, 33...Lower horizontal fin portion, 40...Connecting member, 41...Base portion, 42...Blocking portion, 43...Fitting portion, 44...Fitting portion, 50...Panel holding frame, 51...Upper frame, 52...Lower frame, 53...Vertical frame, 54...Vertical frame, 55...Shoulder screw, 56...Corner block, 61...Upper edge, 62...Lower edge, 63...Vertical edge, 64...vertical edge, 65...retrofit bead, 70...panel, 80...attachment, 90...bracket, 90A...bracket, 91...bolt, 92...nut, 93...screw, 116...engagement piece, 216...engagement piece, 314...panel locking portion, 317...abutment portion, 431...extension piece, 432...abutment piece, 441...extension piece, 442...abutment piece, 510...frame body, 511...outer extension piece, 512...projection piece, 513...retaining piece, 514...locking piece, 515...locking piece, 516...curved surface portion, 517...locking groove, 611...locking portion, 612...holding piece portion, T...joining tool.

Claims

1. A panel unit connection structure in which panel units are connected to each other by connecting members, The panel unit is configured to include a panel holding frame and a panel held by the panel holding frame, The panel holding frame has a connecting frame that is connected to another adjacent panel holding frame, The connecting frame has an engagement groove formed on a surface facing the adjacent connecting frame, The connecting member is disposed across the adjacent connecting frames and engages with the engaging groove, restricting the movement of the other connecting frame relative to the one connecting frame in the in-plane direction and the out-of-plane direction of the panel unit. A panel unit connection structure characterized by:

2. The panel unit connection structure according to claim 1, The projected dimension of the connecting member is equal to or less than the projected dimension of the opposing surface of the connecting frame, The position of the connecting member in the prospective direction is within the range of the opposing surface of the connecting frame. A panel unit connection structure characterized by:

3. The panel unit connection structure according to claim 1, The engaging groove and a frame body are provided on the opposing surface of the connecting frame, The connecting member includes a base portion disposed between the frame bodies, a fitting portion extending from one end of the base portion in the projection direction and fitted into the engagement groove, and a blocking portion extending from the other end of the base portion in the projection direction and closing the gap between the frame bodies, and the fitting portion and the blocking portion close the gap between the connecting frame bodies. A panel unit connection structure characterized by:

4. a frame structure formed by connecting vertical members and horizontal members; A panel structure having a panel unit attached to the frame structure, The panel unit is configured to include a panel holding frame and a panel held by the panel holding frame, The vertical member or the horizontal member is provided with a panel locking portion, The panel holding frame has a locking frame that is locked to the panel locking portion and a connecting frame that is connected to another adjacent panel holding frame by a connecting member, The locking frame is formed with a locking groove that is locked to the panel locking portion, The connecting frame has an engagement groove formed on a surface facing the adjacent connecting frame, The connecting member is disposed across the adjacent connecting frames and engages with the engaging groove, restricting the movement of the other connecting frame relative to the one connecting frame in the in-plane direction and the out-of-plane direction of the panel unit. A panel structure characterized by:

5. The panel structure according to claim 4, The connecting frame and the locking frame are made of shaped members having the same cross-sectional shape. A panel structure characterized by:

6. The panel structure according to claim 4, The panel holding frame comprises a framed upper frame, a lower frame, and left and right vertical frames; The upper frame, the lower frame, and the left and right vertical frames are made of shaped members with the same cross-sectional shape. A panel structure characterized by:

7. The panel structure according to claim 4, The panel holding frame comprises a framed upper frame, a lower frame, and left and right vertical frames; The panel locking portion is formed on the lower surface side of the cross member, The locking frame is the upper frame, The connecting frame is the vertical frame, and the engagement groove is open at the lower end of the vertical frame; The connecting member is inserted into the engagement groove from the lower end of the vertical stile, The lower frame is fixed to the frame structure by a fastener. A panel structure characterized by:

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