Fixture unit

Abstract

To provide a furniture unit that can be used more comfortably. [Solution] The fixture unit 1 comprises a planter box 2 having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 21 extending in the vertical direction Dv, and a planting arrangement portion 22 provided on the upper part of the peripheral wall portion where plants P are arranged; a support structure 31, and a chair 3 having a backrest portion 33 supported by the support structure and extending upward from the support structure, with the back surface 33b of the backrest portion facing at least a portion of the peripheral wall portion in the circumferential direction at a distance from the vertical direction; and a cover portion 4 located at a position above the lower end of the peripheral wall portion, extending from the peripheral wall portion toward the backrest portion, and covering at least the lower portion of the space 6 between the peripheral wall portion and the backrest portion from above.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a furniture unit.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a chair such as a sofa having a support structure and a backrest portion supported by the support structure and extending upward from the support structure. The backrest portion of the chair has a front surface against which a user sitting on the chair leans and a back surface facing the opposite side of the front surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in recent years, there is a furniture unit in which a planter box provided with a planting such as a foliage plant at the upper part is arranged on the back surface of the backrest portion of a chair of the type disclosed in Patent Document 1. However, in such a furniture unit, if the planter box is arranged without a gap with respect to the back surface of the backrest portion of the chair, the head of the user sitting on the chair may accidentally touch the planting provided in the planter box. In this case, it will give discomfort to the user of the furniture unit and make it difficult to use the furniture unit comfortably. In order to avoid this discomfort of the user, it is conceivable to separate the planter box from the backrest portion of the chair. However, in this case, if an article is dropped into the gap between the planter box and the chair, it may be difficult to retrieve the article, and there is a possibility that the furniture unit cannot be used comfortably.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a furniture unit that can be used more comfortably. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) Embodiment 1 of the fixture unit according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a planter box having a circumferential wall portion formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction and a planting arrangement portion provided on the upper part of the circumferential wall portion for arranging plants; a support structure and a chair having a backrest portion supported by the support structure and extending upward from the support structure, wherein the back surface of the backrest portion is positioned at a distance from at least a part of the circumferential direction of the circumferential wall portion in a direction that intersects the vertical direction; and a cover portion located at a position above the lower end of the circumferential wall portion, extending from one of the circumferential wall portion and the backrest portion toward the other of the circumferential wall portion and the backrest portion, covering at least the lower part of the space between the circumferential wall portion and the backrest portion from above.

[0007] In the furniture unit according to Embodiment 1, the back of the chair's backrest is positioned at a distance from the surrounding wall of the planter box, thereby preventing or suppressing the user's head from accidentally touching the plants in the planter box while seated. Furthermore, at least the lower portion of the space between the surrounding wall and the backrest is covered by the cover. Therefore, even if an item is dropped into the space (gap) between the planter box and the chair, the item will fall onto the cover. This makes it easy to retrieve the item. Based on the above, the fixture unit can be used comfortably.

[0008] (2) Embodiment 2 of the fixture unit according to the present invention is an embodiment in which, in embodiment 1, the cover portion may be located at a height corresponding to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion in the vertical direction.

[0009] In this type of furniture unit, the entire space between the surrounding wall and the backrest can be covered by the cover. In other words, there is no space above the cover. Therefore, it is possible to prevent trash or other debris from being placed in that space.

[0010] (3) Embodiment 3 of the furniture unit according to the present invention is an embodiment in which, in embodiment 1, the cover portion may be located at a height corresponding to the upper end of the backrest portion in the vertical direction.

[0011] In this type of furniture unit, the entire space between the surrounding wall and the backrest can be covered by the cover. In other words, there is no space above the cover. Therefore, it is possible to prevent trash or other debris from being placed in that space.

[0012] (4) Embodiment 4 of the furniture unit according to the present invention is an embodiment in which, in embodiment 1, the cover portion may be positioned at a height corresponding to both the upper end of the peripheral wall portion and the upper end of the backrest portion in the vertical direction.

[0013] In this type of furniture unit, the entire space between the surrounding wall and the backrest can be covered by the cover. In other words, there is no space above the cover. Therefore, it is possible to prevent trash or other debris from being placed in that space.

[0014] (5) Embodiment 5 of the furniture unit according to the present invention further comprises a fixing member formed integrally with a first plate portion and a second plate portion extending from the end of the first plate portion in a direction intersecting the first plate portion, wherein the first plate portion is fixed to the side surface of the peripheral wall portion or the back surface of the backrest portion, and the second plate portion is fixed to the lower surface of the cover portion.

[0015] In this type of fixture unit, the fixing members for securing the cover to the surrounding wall or backrest are located in the space between the surrounding wall and the backrest, which are covered by the cover. This effectively prevents the fixing members from being visible from the outside (especially from above) of the fixture unit. This improves the aesthetic appearance of the fixture unit.

[0016] Furthermore, since the cover portion can be formed separately from the surrounding wall portion and the backrest portion, various sizes of cover portions can be provided for, for example, the same type of planter box or chair. This makes it possible to provide various types of fixture units with different layouts while using the same type of planter box or chair.

[0017] (6) In any of embodiments 1 to 5, the 6th embodiment of the fixture unit according to the present invention may be such that the plant arrangement portion is fixed to the cover portion and detachably attached to the peripheral wall portion.

[0018] In this type of fixture unit, the plant arrangement section can be positioned on top of the surrounding wall simply by attaching the cover section to the surrounding wall section. Therefore, the ease of assembly of the fixture unit can be improved.

[0019] (7) Embodiment 7 of the furniture unit according to the present invention is an embodiment in which, in any embodiment 1 to 6, the peripheral wall portion is formed in a polygonal shape in a plan view from the vertical direction, and the chair may have a plurality of first chairs arranged along each side of the peripheral wall portion in a plan view.

[0020] In a furniture unit configured in this way, the line of sight of a user seated in a first chair corresponding to one side of the surrounding wall when viewed from above is less likely to intersect with the line of sight of a user seated in a first chair corresponding to another side of the surrounding wall when viewed from above. As a result, multiple users seated in multiple first chairs corresponding to each side of the surrounding wall when viewed from above can each sit comfortably.

[0021] (8)Aspect 8 of the furniture unit according to the present invention is, in Aspect 7, the chair has a plurality of second chairs arranged at each corner of the peripheral wall portion that is polygonal in plan view and located between the first chairs, and the first chair is shorter than the length of the side of the corresponding peripheral wall portion in the direction along the side of the corresponding peripheral wall portion in plan view, and may be located inside both ends of the side of the corresponding peripheral wall portion.

[0022] In the furniture unit configured as described above, the peripheral wall portion can be surrounded by a plurality of first chairs and second chairs. Thereby, the entire side surface of the peripheral wall portion can be hidden by the chairs. Also, the space between the backrest portion of the chair and the peripheral wall portion can be hidden. Therefore, the appearance design of the furniture unit can be improved.

[0023] Also, in the furniture unit configured as described above, the second chair arranged corresponding to the corner portion of the peripheral wall portion in plan view can be formed to extend along the sides of the peripheral wall portion located on both sides of the corner portion in plan view. For this reason, a backrest portion can be easily and surely provided for the second chair arranged at the corner portion of the peripheral wall portion in plan view. Further, since a plurality of first chairs and second chairs are arranged in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall portion in plan view, the furniture unit can be easily assembled as compared with the case where the chairs surrounding the peripheral wall portion are integrally formed.

[0024] (9)Aspect 9 of the furniture unit according to the present invention is, in any one of Aspects 1 to 8, the chair may be arranged so as to surround the peripheral wall portion in plan view as seen from the up-and-down direction.

[0025] In the furniture unit configured as described above, the planter box can be surrounded by the chair. Thereby, the entire side portion of the planter box can be hidden by the chair. Also, the space between the chair and the planter box can be hidden. Therefore, the appearance design of the furniture unit can be improved.

[0026] (10) Embodiment 10 of the furniture unit according to the present invention is an embodiment in which, in embodiment 9, the chairs may be arranged in a plurality in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall portion in a plan view.

[0027] In a furniture unit configured in this way, multiple chairs are arranged in the circumferential direction of the surrounding wall when viewed from above. Compared to a case where the chairs surrounding the surrounding wall are formed as a single unit, the furniture unit can be assembled more easily.

[0028] (11) Embodiment 11 of the fixture unit according to the present invention may further include, in any embodiment 1 to 10, a connector portion provided on the cover portion and wiring connected to the connector portion and extending downward from the cover portion.

[0029] In this type of fixture unit, various electrical devices such as laptop computers can be placed on the top surface of the cover and connected to the connector. This allows for power supply to the electrical devices and connection of the electrical devices to networks such as the internet. Furthermore, since the wiring extends downwards from the cover, it effectively prevents the wiring from being visible from the outside (especially from above) of the fixture unit. This improves the aesthetic appearance of the fixture unit with the connector and wiring.

[0030] (12) In embodiment 12 of the fixture unit according to the present invention, in any of embodiments 1 to 11, the cover portion may be formed in the shape of a plate with the vertical direction as the plate thickness direction.

[0031] In a fixture unit configured in this way, the planter box or chair to which the cover is attached can be made lighter compared to cases where the cover is formed in a block shape or the like.

[0032] (13) Embodiment 13 of the fixture unit according to the present invention may have a plant arrangement section in any of Embodiments 1 to 12, which is a plant arrangement section formed on the inside of the peripheral wall section and opening upward.

[0033] In this configured fixture unit, at least a portion of the plants can be housed in the plant arrangement space formed inside the surrounding wall, thus allowing the plants to be stably held on the upper part of the surrounding wall.

[0034] (14) Embodiment 14 of the fixture unit according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a planter box having a circumferential wall portion formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction and a planting arrangement portion provided on the upper part of the circumferential wall portion for arranging plants; a support structure and a chair having a backrest portion supported by the support structure and extending upward from the support structure, wherein the back surface of the backrest portion faces the circumferential wall portion at a distance in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and the chair is arranged to surround the planter box in a plan view seen from the vertical direction; and a cover unit formed separately from the planter box and the chair, which covers at least the lower portion of the space between the circumferential wall portion and the backrest portion from above at a position located above the lower end of the circumferential wall portion.

[0035] In the furniture unit according to embodiment 14, the back of the chair's backrest is positioned at a distance from the surrounding wall of the planter box, thereby preventing or suppressing the user's head from accidentally touching the plants in the planter box while seated. Furthermore, at least the lower portion of the space between the surrounding wall and the backrest is covered by the cover unit. Therefore, even if an item is dropped into the space (gap) between the planter box and the chair, the item will fall onto the cover unit. This makes it easy to retrieve the item. Based on the above, the fixture unit can be used comfortably.

[0036] Furthermore, in the fixture unit according to embodiment 14, since the cover unit is formed separately from the peripheral wall and backrest, various sizes of cover units can be provided for, for example, the same type of planter box or chair. This makes it possible to provide various types of fixture units with different layouts while using the same type of planter box or chair. [Effects of the Invention]

[0037] According to the present invention, a furniture unit having a chair and a planter box can be used more comfortably. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0038] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the appearance of the fixture unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic top view showing the above-mentioned fixture unit. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is a schematic perspective view showing the planter box and cover that make up the above-mentioned fixture unit. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing the planter box, which constitutes the above-mentioned fixture unit, with the cover removed. [Figure 6] This is a top view of the fixture unit according to the second embodiment, seen from above. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in Figure 6. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the fixture unit according to the first and second embodiments. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view showing a fixture unit according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0039] [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the fixture unit according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 5. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the fixture unit 1 of the first embodiment is placed on the floor surface F. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the fixture unit 1 comprises a planter box 2, a chair 3, and a cover part 4. In the following description, the direction perpendicular to the floor surface F will be referred to as the vertical direction Dv. In the drawings, the direction indicated by the arrow showing the vertical direction Dv is upward, and the direction opposite to the arrow is downward.

[0040] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the planter box 2 is placed on the floor surface F. The planter box 2 has a peripheral wall portion 21 and a planting arrangement portion 22. The peripheral wall portion 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction Dv. In the following description, the surface of the peripheral wall portion 21 that faces outward in a plan view will be referred to as the "side surface 21a". The planting arrangement section 22 is provided on the upper part of the peripheral wall section 21. Plants P are arranged in the planting arrangement section 22. In this embodiment, the planting arrangement section 22 has a planting accommodation space 23 (planting accommodation space 23) formed inside the peripheral wall section 21 and opening upward. In the illustrated example, the lower end of the planting accommodation space 23 is defined by a bottom plate section 24 that constitutes the planting arrangement section 22 and is attached inside the peripheral wall section 21 at a position spaced above the lower end of the peripheral wall section 21. However, the lower end of the planting accommodation space 23 is not limited to being defined by the bottom plate section 24. Furthermore, the planting arrangement section 22 is not limited to the planting accommodation space 23 formed inside the peripheral wall section 21, but may also be provided separately, for example, on the upper side of the peripheral wall section 21.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the peripheral wall portion 21 of this embodiment is formed as a polygon having multiple sides 25 and multiple corners 26 in a plan view from the vertical direction Dv. The corners 26 of the peripheral wall portion 21 in a plan view are the vertices where the ends of adjacent sides 25 meet. The plan view shape of the peripheral wall portion 21 may be any polygon, but in this embodiment it is a square, which is a type of regular polygon. In the following description, the direction around the peripheral wall portion 21 in a plan view will be referred to as the circumferential direction Dr.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the chair 3 is placed on the floor surface F. The chair 3 has a support structure 31, a seat 32, and a backrest 33. The support structure 31 is placed on the floor surface F and supports the seat portion 32 and the backrest portion 33 from below. The specific configuration of the support structure 31 may be arbitrary. As shown in Figure 3, the support structure 31 in this embodiment is formed in a box shape that opens upward, and the inside is a storage space 34 for storing items.

[0043] The seat portion 32 is positioned above the support structure 31 and constitutes the seating surface on which the user of the chair 3 sits. In this embodiment, the seat portion 32 is positioned to cover the opening of the support structure 31. Furthermore, the seat portion 32 is detachably attached to the support structure 31. This allows the opening of the support structure 31 to be opened and closed.

[0044] The backrest portion 33 is supported by the support structure 31 and extends upward from the support structure 31 above the seat portion 32. The backrest portion 33 has a front surface 33a against which a user seated in the chair 3 leans. In the following description, the surface of the backrest portion 33 facing away from the front surface 33a will be referred to as the "back surface 33b". In this embodiment, the backrest portion 33 is fixed to the support structure 31 separately from the seat portion 32.

[0045] Chair 3 is positioned such that the back of the backrest 33b faces the side of the peripheral wall 21 with a gap in the direction intersecting the vertical direction Dv (left-right direction in Figure 3). Therefore, a space 6 (gap) exists between the side of the peripheral wall 21 and the back of the backrest 33b. The space 6 between the planter box 2 and chair 3 exists not only between the side of the peripheral wall 21 and the back of the backrest 33b, but also between the side of the peripheral wall 21 and the back of the support structure 31 located below the backrest 33 and facing the side of the peripheral wall 21. Therefore, a space 6 exists between the side of the peripheral wall 21 and the backs 31b and 33b of chair 3 (support structure 31 and backrest 33). In the following description, the space 6 between the peripheral wall portion 21 and the backrest portion 33 will be described as including the space 6 between the peripheral wall portion 21 and the support structure 31.

[0046] In this embodiment, the upper end of the backrest portion 33 in the vertical direction Dv is located at a height corresponding to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21 in the vertical direction Dv, that is, it is located at the same height as the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21. In Figure 3, the upper end of the backrest portion 33 is located slightly higher than the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21, but it may be located slightly lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21, for example. Also, for example, the height positions of the upper ends of the backrest portion 33 and the peripheral wall portion 21 may coincide.

[0047] As shown in Figure 2, the chairs 3 in this embodiment are arranged to surround the peripheral wall 21 in a plan view. Furthermore, multiple chairs 3 are arranged in the circumferential direction Dr of the peripheral wall 21 in a plan view. The arrangement of the chairs 3 relative to the peripheral wall 21 will be further described below.

[0048] The chair 3 of this embodiment has a plurality of first chairs 3A and a plurality of second chairs 3B. The plurality of first chairs 3A are arranged along each side 25 of the peripheral wall 21 in a plan view. The plurality of second chairs 3B are arranged at each corner 26 of the peripheral wall 21 in a plan view and are located between the first chairs 3A in the circumferential direction Dr. It is preferable that each second chair 3B is arranged without any gaps between adjacent first chairs 3A, as shown in the illustrated example. Since the peripheral wall 21 of this embodiment is a square in a plan view, the number of first chairs 3A and second chairs 3B is four each.

[0049] Furthermore, each first chair 3A is shorter than the length of the corresponding side 25 of the peripheral wall 21 in the direction along the side 25 of the corresponding peripheral wall 21 in a plan view, and is located inside both ends of the side 25 of the corresponding peripheral wall 21. For this reason, each second chair 3B, which is positioned corresponding to each corner 26 of the peripheral wall 21, extends along the sides 25 of the peripheral wall 21 located on both sides of the corner 26 in a plan view.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the chair 3 surrounding the peripheral wall portion 21 is constructed by connecting a first chair 3A and a second chair 3B adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction Dr. The first chair 3A and the second chair 3B can be connected, for example, by their respective support structures 31. The connection between the support structures 31 of the first chair 3A and the second chair 3B can be performed, for example, by removing one of the seat portions 32 of the first chair 3A and the second chair 3B from the support structure 31, and operating a connecting member such as a bolt through the exposed inner wall surface of the support structure 31 toward the other support structure 31 of the first chair 3A and the second chair 3B. In this case, the seat portions 32 of the adjacent first chair 3A and the second chair 3B can be attached to and detached from the support structure 31 independently of each other.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3, the cover portion 4 covers at least the lower portion of the space 6 between the peripheral wall portion 21 of the planter box 2 and the backrest portion 33 of the chair 3 from above. In this embodiment, the cover portion 4 is attached to the peripheral wall portion 21 at a position above the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 21 and extends from the peripheral wall portion 21 toward the backrest portion 33. The cover portion 4 may be formed in any shape, such as a block, but in this embodiment, the cover portion 4 is formed in a plate shape with the vertical direction Dv as the plate thickness direction.

[0052] In this embodiment, the cover portion 4 is positioned above the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21 in the vertical direction Dv. Therefore, the cover portion 4 is located slightly above the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21. In addition, a part of the cover portion 4 protrudes inward from the peripheral wall portion 21, covering the edge portion of the opening of the planting space 23. The cover portion 4 may be positioned so as not to cover the opening of the planting space 23. Furthermore, the cover portion 4 may be positioned on the side surface 21a of the peripheral wall portion 21, rather than at the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21. In this case, the cover portion 4 can be positioned at the same height as the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21, or lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21, in the vertical direction Dv.

[0053] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the cover portion 4 is fixed to the peripheral wall portion 21 by a fixing member 5 provided in the fixture unit 1 of this embodiment. The fixing member 5 has a first plate portion 51 and a second plate portion 52 that extends from the end of the first plate portion 51 in a direction intersecting the first plate portion 51. In the illustrated example, the fixing member 5 has the first plate portion 51 and the second plate portion 52 perpendicular to each other. The fixing member 5 may be, for example, an L-shaped bracket. The first plate portion 51 is fixed to the side surface 21a of the peripheral wall portion 21 by screws or the like. The second plate portion 52 is fixed to the lower surface 4a of the cover portion 4 by screws or the like. As a result, the cover portion 4 is fixed to the peripheral wall portion 21.

[0054] As shown in Figure 3, the cover portion 4 of this embodiment is located at a height corresponding to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21 in the vertical direction Dv. The cover portion 4 is also located at a height corresponding to the upper end of the backrest portion 33 in the vertical direction Dv. That is, the cover portion 4 is located at the same height as the upper ends of the peripheral wall portion 21 and the backrest portion 33. In Figure 3, the cover portion 4 is located slightly higher than the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21 and slightly lower than the upper end of the backrest portion 33. The cover portion 4 may also be located slightly lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21, or at the same height as the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21. The cover portion 4 may also be located slightly higher than the upper end of the backrest portion 33, or at the same height as the upper end of the backrest portion 33.

[0055] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the cover portion 4 of this embodiment is arranged to surround the peripheral wall portion 21 in a plan view. The cover portion 4 surrounding the peripheral wall portion 21 may be formed as a single unit as shown in the illustrated example, or it may be formed by dividing it into multiple parts in the circumferential direction Dr. If the cover portion 4 is formed by dividing it into multiple parts, the multiple cover portions 4 can be individually attached to the peripheral wall portion 21, and adjacent cover portions 4 in the circumferential direction Dr can be connected to each other.

[0056] The cover portion 4 surrounding the peripheral wall portion 21 is formed as a polygon similar to the peripheral wall portion 21 but larger in plan view. Specifically, the cover portion 4 is formed as a square in plan view corresponding to the peripheral wall portion 21. Each side 45 and each corner 46 of the cover portion 4 corresponds to each side 25 and each corner 26 of the peripheral wall portion 21. The chair 3 surrounding the peripheral wall portion 21 is arranged to surround the cover portion 4. The tip of the cover portion 4 extending from the peripheral wall portion 21 toward the backrest portion 33 may be set to contact the backrest portion 33 of the chair 3, for example, but in this embodiment, it is set to leave a small gap (for example, a gap of about 5 mm) from the backrest portion 33. This allows the fixture unit 1 to be assembled even if there are manufacturing errors in each of the parts of the planter box 2, chair 3, and cover portion 4.

[0057] As described above, in the furniture unit 1 of this embodiment, the back surface 33b of the backrest 33 of the chair 3 is positioned at a distance from the peripheral wall 21 of the planter box 2. This prevents or suppresses the possibility of a user sitting in the chair 3 accidentally touching the plant P provided in the planter box 2. Furthermore, at least the lower portion of the space 6 between the peripheral wall 21 and the backrest 33 is covered by the cover 4. Therefore, even if an item is dropped into the space 6 (gap) between the planter box 2 and the chair 3, the item will fall onto the cover 4. This makes it easy to retrieve the item. Based on the above, the fixture unit 1 can be used comfortably.

[0058] Furthermore, because the cover portion 4 is interposed between the peripheral wall portion 21 of the planter box 2 and the backrest portion 33 of the chair 3, it is possible to prevent, for example, the chair 3 from moving toward the planter box 2 and thus reducing the space 6 between the peripheral wall portion 21 and the backrest portion 33 of the chair 3.

[0059] Furthermore, in the furniture unit 1 of this embodiment, the cover portion 4 is positioned at a height corresponding to both the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21 and the upper end of the backrest portion 33 in the vertical direction Dv. This allows the entire space 6 between the peripheral wall portion 21 and the backrest portion 33 to be covered by the cover portion 4. In other words, the space 6 does not exist above the cover portion 4. Therefore, it is possible to prevent garbage and other debris from being placed in the space 6.

[0060] Furthermore, the fixture unit 1 of this embodiment includes a fixing member 5 for fixing the cover portion 4 to the peripheral wall portion 21. The first plate portion 51 of the fixing member 5 is fixed to the side surface 21a of the peripheral wall portion 21, and the second plate portion 52 is fixed to the lower surface 4a of the cover portion 4. As a result, the fixing member 5 is located on the side of the space 6 between the peripheral wall portion 21 covered by the cover portion 4 and the backrest portion 33. Therefore, the fixing member 5 can be effectively prevented from being visible from the outside (especially from above) of the fixture unit 1. This improves the appearance design of the fixture unit 1.

[0061] Furthermore, since the cover portion 4 is formed separately from the peripheral wall portion 21, various sizes of cover portions 4 can be provided for, for example, the same type of planter box 2 and chair 3. This makes it possible to provide various types of furniture units 1 with different layouts, even while using the same type of planter box 2 and chair 3. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the chair 3 and cover portion 4 surround the planter box 2, by providing cover portions 4 of various sizes for the same type of planter box 2, it becomes possible to provide various types of furniture units 1 with different layouts by changing the length of the chair 3 (number of chairs 3) in the circumferential direction Dr.

[0062] Furthermore, in the furniture unit 1 of this embodiment, the peripheral wall portion 21 is formed in a polygonal shape when viewed from above. In addition, the chair 3 has a plurality of first chairs 3A arranged along each side 25 of the peripheral wall portion 21 when viewed from above. As a result, the line of sight of a user seated in a first chair 3A corresponding to one side 25 of the peripheral wall portion 21 when viewed from above is less likely to intersect with the line of sight of a user seated in a first chair 3A corresponding to another side 25 of the peripheral wall portion 21 when viewed from above. As a result, multiple users seated in multiple first chairs 3A corresponding to each side 25 of the peripheral wall portion 21 when viewed from above can each sit comfortably.

[0063] Furthermore, in the furniture unit 1 of this embodiment, in addition to the first chair 3A described above, there are also multiple second chairs 3B positioned between the first chairs 3A, at each corner 26 of the polygonal peripheral wall 21 in plan view. Therefore, the peripheral wall 21 can be surrounded by multiple first chairs 3A and second chairs 3B (chairs 3). This allows the entire side surface 21a of the peripheral wall 21 to be hidden by the chairs 3. In addition, the space 6 between the backrest 33 of the chair 3 and the peripheral wall 21 can also be hidden. Thus, the appearance design of the furniture unit 1 can be improved.

[0064] Furthermore, in the furniture unit 1 of this embodiment, the first chair 3A is shorter than the length of the side 25 of the corresponding peripheral wall 21 in the direction along the side 25 of the corresponding peripheral wall 21 in a plan view, and is located inside both ends of the side 25 of the corresponding peripheral wall 21. Therefore, the second chair 3B, which is positioned corresponding to the corner 26 of the peripheral wall 21 in a plan view, can be formed to extend along the sides 25 of the peripheral wall 21 located on both sides of the corner 26 in a plan view. Therefore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a backrest 33 can be easily and reliably provided on the second chair 3B, which is positioned at the corner 26 of the peripheral wall 21 in a plan view. Furthermore, since multiple first chairs 3A and second chairs 3B are arranged in the circumferential direction Dr of the peripheral wall 21 in a plan view, the furniture unit 1 can be assembled more easily compared to the case where the chairs 3 surrounding the peripheral wall 21 are formed as a single unit.

[0065] Furthermore, in the fixture unit 1 of this embodiment, the cover portion 4 is formed in a plate shape with the vertical direction Dv as the plate thickness direction. Therefore, compared to the case where the cover portion 4 is formed in a block shape or the like, the planter box 2 to which the cover portion 4 is attached can be made lighter.

[0066] Furthermore, in the fixture unit 1 of this embodiment, the planting arrangement section 22 of the planter box 2 has a planting storage space 23 formed inside the peripheral wall section 21 and opening upward. As a result, at least a portion of the plants P can be accommodated in the planting storage space 23 of the planting arrangement section 22 formed inside the peripheral wall section 21, so that the plants P can be stably held on the upper part of the peripheral wall section 21.

[0067] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the fixture unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. In the second embodiment described below, components common to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the figures and their descriptions are omitted.

[0068] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the fixture unit 1D of the second embodiment further includes a connector 7 and wiring 8, in addition to the planter box 2, chair 3, cover part 4, and fixing member 5 similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0069] The connector section 7 is provided on the cover section 4. The connector section 7 has an outlet 71 for connecting to various electrical devices (not shown), such as a laptop computer. The outlet 71 is exposed on the upper surface 4b side of the cover section 4, that is, it is exposed to the outside of the furniture unit 1D. The outlet 71 may be, for example, a power outlet or a communication outlet. A power outlet is an outlet for supplying power to electrical devices. A communication outlet is an outlet for connecting electrical devices to other electrical devices or networks such as the internet, and for communicating between electrical devices.

[0070] In Figure 6, the connector portion 7 is provided at a position corresponding to the midpoint of each side 25 of the peripheral wall portion 21 in a plan view, but it is not limited to this. The connector portion 7 may also be provided at a position corresponding to each corner 26 of the peripheral wall portion 21 in a plan view.

[0071] As shown in Figure 7, the wiring 8 is connected to the outlet 71 of the connector 7 and extends downwards to the cover 4. Therefore, the wiring 8 is located in the space 6 between the peripheral wall 21 and the backrest 33. The wiring 8 may be, for example, a power cable connected to the aforementioned power outlet, or a communication cable connected to the aforementioned communication outlet.

[0072] The fixture unit 1D of the second embodiment provides the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the fixture unit 1D of the second embodiment, various electrical devices such as a laptop computer can be placed on the upper surface 4b of the cover portion 4, and these electrical devices can be connected to the connector portion 7. This allows power to be supplied to the electrical devices and the electrical devices to be connected to a network such as the internet. Furthermore, since the wiring 8 extends below the cover portion 4, it is possible to effectively prevent the wiring 8 from being visible from the outside (especially from above) of the fixture unit 1D. This improves the appearance of the fixture unit 1D having the connector portion 7 and the wiring 8.

[0073] In the first and second embodiments, the planting arrangement section 22 may be fixed to the cover section 4, for example, as shown in Figure 8. In Figure 8, the bottom plate section 24 constituting the planting arrangement section 22 is fixed to the cover section 4 by being integrally formed with the cover section 4. The bottom plate section 24 may also be formed separately from the cover section 4 and then fixed to the cover section 4. When the planting arrangement section 22 is fixed to the cover section 4, the planting arrangement section 22 can be positioned on top of the surrounding wall section 21 simply by attaching the cover section 4 to the surrounding wall section 21. Therefore, the ease of assembly of the fixture unit can be improved.

[0074] In the first and second embodiments, the cover portion 4 may be attached to the backrest portion 33 at a position above the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 21, for example, and may extend from the backrest portion 33 toward the peripheral wall portion 21. The mounting structure of the cover portion 4 to the backrest portion 33 may be arbitrary, but it may be fixed by a fixing member 5 similar to that in the first embodiment. In this case, it is preferable that the first plate portion 51 of the fixing member 5 is fixed to the back surface 33b of the backrest portion 33, and the second plate portion 52 of the fixing member 5 is fixed to the lower surface 4a of the cover portion 4. By attaching the fixing member 5 in this manner, the same effects as in the first embodiment are achieved.

[0075] In the first and second embodiments, the cover portion 4 is not limited to being formed separately from the planter box 2 and the chair 3 and attached to the planter box 2 and the chair 3, but may also be formed integrally with the planter box 2 and the chair 3, for example.

[0076] In the first and second embodiments, the cover portion 4 may be located below, for example, the backrest portion 33. For this reason, the cover portion 4 may extend, for example, from one of the peripheral wall portion 21 and the support structure 31 toward the other of the peripheral wall portion 21 and the support structure 31. That is, the cover portion 4 only needs to extend from at least one of the peripheral wall portion 21 and the chair 3 toward the other of the peripheral wall portion 21 and the chair 3.

[0077] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the fixture unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 9. In the third embodiment described below, components common to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the figure and their descriptions are omitted.

[0078] As shown in Figure 9, the fixture unit 1E of the third embodiment further includes a cover unit 9 in addition to the planter box 2 and chair 3 similar to those of the first embodiment. The chair 3 of the third embodiment is arranged to surround the planter box 2 in a plan view, similar to the first embodiment.

[0079] The cover unit 9 is formed separately from the planter box 2 and the chair 3, and is placed on the floor surface F, just like the planter box 2 and the chair 3. The cover unit 9 covers the space 6 between the peripheral wall 21 and the backrest 33 from above, at a position above the lower end of the peripheral wall 21. The cover unit 9 is positioned to surround the planter box 2 in a plan view.

[0080] The cover unit 9 has a cover portion 91 that covers the space 6 from above. The cover portion 91 of the cover unit 9 in this embodiment is configured in the same way as the cover portion 4 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the cover portion 91 of the cover unit 9 in this embodiment is arranged in the same way as the cover portion 4 of the first embodiment, except that it is not fixed to the peripheral wall portion 21 or the backrest portion 33.

[0081] Other components of the cover unit 9 are optional. The cover unit 9 illustrated in Figure 9 has a cover portion 91 and a support portion 92 that is placed on the floor surface F and supports the cover portion 91 from below. The support portion 92 illustrated in Figure 9 has a plurality of support columns 93 that extend in the vertical direction Dv. Although not shown, the plurality of support columns 93 are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction Dr of the peripheral wall portion 21, for example. The upper end of each support column 93 is connected to the lower surface 91a of the cover portion 91, and the lower end of each support column 93 is in contact with the floor surface F.

[0082] The fixture unit 1E of the third embodiment provides the same effects as the first embodiment. In other words, by positioning the backrest 33b of the chair 3 at a distance from the peripheral wall 21 of the planter box 2, it is possible to suppress or prevent the head of a user seated in the chair 3 from accidentally touching the plant P provided in the planter box 2. Furthermore, the space 6 between the peripheral wall 21 and the backrest 33 is covered by the cover unit 9. Therefore, even if an item is dropped into the space 6 (gap) between the planter box 2 and the chair 3, the item will fall onto the cover unit 9. This makes it easy to retrieve the item. Based on the above, the fixture unit 1E can be used comfortably.

[0083] Furthermore, since the cover unit 9 is formed separately from the peripheral wall portion 21 and the backrest portion 33, various sizes of cover units 9 (especially the cover portion 91) can be provided for the same type of planter box 2 or chair 3. This makes it possible to provide various types of furniture units 1E with different layouts while using the same type of planter box 2 or chair 3. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the chair 3 and cover unit 9 surround the planter box 2, by providing cover units 9 of various sizes for the same type of planter box 2, it is possible to provide various types of furniture units 1E with different layouts by changing the length of the chair 3 (number of chairs 3) in the circumferential direction Dr.

[0084] Furthermore, in the third embodiment of the fixture unit 1E, the cover unit 9 (particularly the cover portion 91) is not attached to the planter box 2 or chair 3 as in the first embodiment, but is positioned independently of the planter box 2 and chair 3. This makes it easy to assemble various types of fixture units 1E with different layouts.

[0085] The fixture unit 1E of the third embodiment described above may be fitted with, for example, the same connector section 7 and wiring 8 as in the second embodiment.

[0086] In the third embodiment, the cover unit 9 (particularly the cover portion 91) surrounding the planter box 2 may be formed as a single unit, or it may be formed by dividing it into multiple parts in the circumferential direction Dr of the peripheral wall portion 21.

[0087] In the third embodiment, the cover portion 91 of the cover unit 9 may be located below, for example, the backrest portion 33, that is, at a height corresponding to the support structure 31.

[0088] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0089] In the present invention, the furniture unit may have an extension member that extends downward from, for example, the cover portion 4, 91 and is located between the side surface 21a of the peripheral wall portion 21 and the back surface 33b of the backrest portion 33. The extension member may be formed integrally with, for example, the cover portion 4, 91, or it may be formed separately from the cover portion 4, 91 and then fixed to the cover portion 4, 91.

[0090] The tip of the extension member in the extension direction (i.e., the lower end of the extension member) may, for example, abut against the floor surface F. In this case, the cover portion 4, 91 is supported by the extension member. For example, in the first and second embodiments, when the cover portion 4 is fixed only to the peripheral wall portion 21 or only to the backrest portion 33 and forms a cantilever-like shape, the attachment strength of the cover portion 4 to the peripheral wall portion 21 or backrest portion 33 can be improved by also supporting the cover portion 4 with the extension member.

[0091] The extension member described above may be formed in any shape, such as a rod. The extension member may be formed in the shape of a plate that extends in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall 21 and is positioned at a distance from the side surface 21a of the peripheral wall 21. If the extension member is in the shape of a plate, the extension member can cover the space (for example, space 6) located outside the side surface 21a of the peripheral wall 21 and below the cover parts 4 and 91. In this configured fixture unit, even before the chair 3 is placed relative to the planter box 2, the space located below the cover parts 4 and 91 (for example, space 6) can be hidden from the outside by the extension member. This allows for the protection of, for example, the wiring 8 in the second embodiment during the assembly of the fixture unit.

[0092] In the present invention, if the planter box 2 has a polygonal peripheral wall portion 21 in plan view, the chair 3 may consist only of a first chair 3A, for example, positioned along each side 25 of the peripheral wall portion 21 in plan view. Alternatively, the chair 3 may consist only of a second chair 3B, for example, positioned along each corner 26 of the peripheral wall portion 21 in plan view.

[0093] In the present invention, the plan view shape of the peripheral wall portion 21 and the cover portions 4 and 91 is not limited to a polygon in plan view, but may be any shape, such as a circle. Even in this case, the chairs 3 may be arranged to surround the peripheral wall portion 21 in plan view, as in the above embodiment, or multiple chairs may be arranged in the circumferential direction Dr of the peripheral wall portion 21 in plan view. Alternatively, multiple chairs 3 may be arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction Dr of the peripheral wall portion 21 in plan view.

[0094] In the present invention, the chair 3 is positioned such that the back surface 33b of its backrest 33 faces at least a portion of the circumferential direction Dr of the peripheral wall 21 at a distance from it. That is, the chair 3 may be positioned, for example, only on a portion of the circumferential direction Dr of the peripheral wall 21.

[0095] In the present invention, the cover portions 4 and 91 may be positioned below, for example, the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21 and the upper end of the backrest portion 33, or both, in the vertical direction Dv. In this case, the cover portions 4 and 91 will cover the lower portion of the space 6 between the peripheral wall portion 21 and the backrest portion 33 (chair 3) from above, rather than the entire space 6. Even with this configuration, the same effects as in the above-described embodiment will be achieved. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0096] 1, 1D, 1E Fixture Units 2 planter boxes 3 chairs 3A First chair 3B Second chair 4. Cover section 4a Bottom side 4b Top side 5 Fixing members 6 Space 7. Connector section 8 Wiring 9 Cover Unit 21 Peripheral wall section 21a side 22 Planting arrangement section 23. Planting and storage space (storage space) 25 sides 26 corners 31 Support structure 32 Seat part 33 Backrest part 33a Front surface 33b Rear surface 51 First plate part 52 Second plate part 91 Cover part 91a Lower surface Dr Circumferential direction Dv Vertical direction F Floor surface P Planting

Claims

1. A planter box having a circumferential wall portion formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and a planting arrangement portion provided at the upper part of the circumferential wall portion where plants are arranged, A support structure, and a chair having a backrest portion supported by the support structure and extending upward from the support structure, wherein the back surface of the backrest portion is positioned to face at least a portion of the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall portion at a distance from it in a direction that intersects the vertical direction, A furniture unit comprising: a cover portion located at a position above the lower end of the peripheral wall portion, extending from one of the peripheral wall portion and the backrest portion toward the other of the peripheral wall portion and covering at least the lower portion of the space between the peripheral wall portion and the backrest portion from above.

2. The fixture unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion is located at a height corresponding to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion in the vertical direction.

3. The furniture unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion is positioned at a height corresponding to the upper end of the backrest portion in the vertical direction.

4. The furniture unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion is positioned at a height corresponding to both the upper end of the peripheral wall portion and the upper end of the backrest portion in the vertical direction.

5. The fixing member further comprises a first plate portion and a second plate portion that extends from the end of the first plate portion in a direction intersecting the first plate portion, The first plate portion is fixed to the side surface of the peripheral wall portion or to the back surface of the backrest portion. The fixture unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second plate portion is fixed to the lower surface of the cover portion.

6. The fixture unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the planting arrangement section is fixed to the cover section and is detachably attached to the peripheral wall section.

7. The aforementioned peripheral wall portion is formed in a polygonal shape when viewed from above or below in a plan view. The furniture unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the chair has a plurality of first chairs arranged along each side of the peripheral wall in a plan view.

8. The chair has a plurality of second chairs positioned between the first chairs, each of which is located at the corners of the surrounding wall portion that is polygonal in plan view. The fixture unit according to claim 7, wherein the first chair is shorter than the length of the corresponding side of the peripheral wall in a plan view along the side of the corresponding peripheral wall, and is located inside both ends of the corresponding side of the peripheral wall.

9. The furniture unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the chair is arranged to surround the peripheral wall portion in a plan view taken from the vertical direction.

10. The aforementioned chairs are arranged in a plurality in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall portion in a plan view, as described in claim 9.

11. The connector portion provided on the cover portion, The fixture unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: wiring connected to the connector portion and extending downward from the cover portion.

12. The fixture unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cover portion is formed in the shape of a plate with the vertical direction being the thickness direction.

13. The fixture unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the planting arrangement section has a planting accommodation space formed on the inside of the peripheral wall section and opening upward.

14. A planter box having a circumferential wall portion formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and a planting arrangement portion provided at the upper part of the circumferential wall portion where plants are arranged, A support structure, and a chair having a backrest portion supported by the support structure and extending upward from the support structure, wherein the back surface of the backrest portion is positioned to face the peripheral wall portion at a distance in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and the chair is positioned to surround the planter box in a plan view taken from the vertical direction, A furniture unit comprising: a cover unit formed separately from the planter box and the chair, which covers at least the lower portion of the space between the peripheral wall and the backrest from above, at a position located above the lower end of the peripheral wall.

Images