Wiring-integrated partitions and partition installation methods

Abstract

The present invention provides a means to maintain the function of forming evacuation routes in emergencies and to supply power from solar panels to the building facing the balcony. [Solution] A wiring-integrated partition 100 installed on a balcony 1 of a building that can utilize electricity from solar panels comprises a partition section P capable of forming an evacuation route in an emergency, and a wiring section D capable of accommodating power cables 20. In one example, the partition section P is a partition body 10, and the wiring section D is a wiring duct 30 fixed to the outside of the constituent members of the partition body. In another example, the partition section P has an upper rectangular frame 50, a lower rectangular frame 52, and a frame fixing member 60. The frame fixing member 60 is fixed to the balcony and has a gap between the upper rectangular frame and the lower rectangular frame that constitutes the wiring section D inside the partition section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiring-embedded partition incorporating wiring for supplying power generated on a balcony or the like of an apartment building into the building, and a method for installing the partition.

Background Art

[0002] When installing a solar power generation facility on a handrail such as a corridor or a balcony of a building, the route for supplying the generated electricity into the building has conventionally been only the part of the building outer wall that directly contacts the end of the handrail. However, the outer wall portion that directly contacts the handrail is often on the end side of the building, and it has been difficult to secure a route for supplying electricity to the households with handrails.

[0003] In order to solve this problem, for example, Patent Document 1 has been proposed. The "balcony with solar cell panel" of Patent Document 1 draws an electric cable connected to the solar cell panel through the internal space of the waist wall into the under-floor space of the balcony floor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the means of Patent Document 1 had the following problems.

[0006] (1) In buildings such as condominiums, the floor of the balcony is often formed of a concrete slab integral with the ceiling of the lower floor. In that case, there is no under-floor space in the floor of the balcony, and the means of Patent Document 1 cannot be applied. (2) Even if the space under the balcony floor is temporarily increased, accessing it after installation for maintenance, etc., would require removing the upper part of the space under the floor, making regular maintenance difficult. (3) The floor surface located above the underfloor space is usually treated with a simple waterproofing method, but deterioration may cause rainwater to accumulate in the underfloor space, potentially leading to electrical leakage.

[0007] To solve this problem, the inventors focused on partitions separating adjacent dwelling units and devised a method to supply electricity to the building facing the balcony from solar panels installed on balconies, etc., via the partitions. However, this presented the following problems.

[0008] Power cables that supply electricity generated by solar panels into buildings have a large outer diameter (for example, about 7 mm) even if they are single-wire, and a large minimum bending radius when bent (for example, 56 mm or more). On the other hand, partitions are required to ensure privacy from neighboring units while also serving to create evacuation routes in case of emergencies. Therefore, when partitions are used as power supply paths, the portion housing the power cables may interfere with the function of the partitions.

[0009] This invention was devised to solve the problems described above. In other words, the object of this invention is to provide a means that can maintain the function of forming an evacuation route in an emergency and supply power from solar panels to the building facing the balcony. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to the present invention, a wiring-integrated partition installed on the balcony of a building that can utilize power from solar panels, A partition that ensures privacy from neighboring units and allows for the formation of an evacuation route in case of emergency, A wiring-integrated partition is provided, which includes a wiring section capable of accommodating a power cable that supplies power from the solar panel to a living room facing the balcony.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a partition installation method for installing the above-mentioned wiring-integrated partition is provided, A partition installation method is provided, which involves positioning the partition vertically between adjacent dwelling units and housing the power cable in the wiring section before or after fixing it to the balcony. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the partition ensures privacy from neighboring units and also forms an evacuation route in case of emergency. Furthermore, the wiring section can accommodate power cables that supply power from the power outlet on the inside of the handrail to the living space facing the balcony.

[0013] Therefore, it is possible to maintain the function of forming evacuation routes in emergencies, and to supply electricity from the solar panels to the building facing the balcony. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing an example of a balcony configuration for installing the wiring-integrated partition of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view of a partition portion constituting the first embodiment of the wiring-integrated partition of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a side view showing a first embodiment of a power cable and wiring duct. [Figure 4] This is a partial explanatory diagram of Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is a side view showing a second embodiment of the wiring-integrated partition of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a partial explanatory diagram of Figure 5. [Figure 7] This is a side view showing a third embodiment of the wiring-integrated partition of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 7(A).

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In each figure, the same reference numerals are assigned to common parts, and duplicate explanations are omitted.

[0016] (Configuration Example of Balcony) FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration example of a balcony 1 in which a wiring-embedded partition 100 of the present invention is installed. The wiring-embedded partition 100 of the present invention is installed on a balcony 1 of a building that can utilize the power from a solar panel 8.

[0017] In this figure, 2 is the floor of the balcony 1, 3 is the ceiling of the balcony 1, 4 is the door (for example, a glass door) of the room facing the balcony 1, and 5 is a pillar or wall (hereinafter simply referred to as wall 5) located at the boundary with an adjacent dwelling unit. In this example, the floor 2 and the ceiling 3 are each formed of an integral concrete slab.

[0018] The balcony 1 further has a handrail 6 extending horizontally at a predetermined height and a power extraction terminal 7 located inside the handrail 6. The power extraction terminal 7 is a power outlet of a solar panel 8 installed outside the handrail 6. The predetermined height of the handrail 6 is, for example, about 1100 mm from the upper surface of the floor 2 to the upper surface of the handrail 6. Also, the handrail 6 is fixed to the upper end of a handrail column 9 whose lower end is fixed to the floor 2. Note that the installation location of the solar panel 8 is not limited to being installed on the handrail 6 described later, and it may be installed on a roof balcony, a service balcony, a rooftop, or a staircase, etc.

[0019] (First Embodiment) FIG. 2 is a side view of a partition portion P constituting the first embodiment of the wiring-embedded partition 100 of the present invention. In this example, the partition P is a partition body 10 that separates adjacent dwelling units, is installed on the balcony 1, and is configured to ensure privacy from neighboring units while also forming an evacuation route in case of emergency.

[0020] In this figure, the partition body 10 has an inner vertical frame 11, an outer vertical frame 12, an upper horizontal frame 13, a lower horizontal frame 14, an intermediate horizontal frame 15, an upper panel 16, and a lower panel 17.

[0021] The inner vertical frame section 11 is located at the inner end of the balcony 1 (to the left of wall 5 in the diagram) and extends vertically. The outer vertical frame section 12 is located at the outer end of the balcony 1 (to the right of the handrail post 9 in the diagram) and extends vertically. The upper horizontal frame section 13 horizontally connects the upper ends of the inner vertical frame section 11 and the outer vertical frame section 12 (near the ceiling section 3 in the diagram). The lower horizontal frame section 14 horizontally connects the lower ends of the inner vertical frame section 11 and the outer vertical frame section 12 (near the floor section 2 in the diagram). The intermediate horizontal frame section 15 horizontally connects the intermediate sections of the inner vertical frame section 11 and the outer vertical frame section 12. In Figure 3, which will be described later, the intermediate horizontal frame section 15 is installed at the height of the first straight section 22b of the power cable 20.

[0022] The upper panel 16 is held in place on all four sides by the inner vertical frame portion 11, the outer vertical frame portion 12, the upper horizontal frame portion 13, and the intermediate horizontal frame portion 15. The lower panel 17 is held in place on all four sides by the inner vertical frame portion 11, the outer vertical frame portion 12, the lower end horizontal frame portion 14, and the intermediate horizontal frame portion 15.

[0023] The partition body 10 is a flat plate-shaped member as a whole, and is installed vertically between the vertical end face of the wall 5 located at the boundary with the adjacent dwelling unit and the handrail post 9, thereby separating the adjacent dwelling units. In this example, the inner vertical frame section 11 is firmly fixed to the vertical end surfaces of the ceiling section 3 and the wall 5 by multiple anchor bolts 18. Furthermore, the outer vertical frame section 12 is firmly fixed to the ceiling section 3 and the handrail post 9 via multiple fixing brackets 19a and 19b.

[0024] The upper panel 16 and lower panel 17 are, for example, opaque flexible boards, designed to ensure privacy from neighboring units. In this embodiment, the thickness of the lower panel 17 is set to be thinner than that of the upper panel 16. For example, by tearing and removing the lower panel 17, the portion of the lower panel 17 forms an emergency evacuation route. In this case, the height of the lower end horizontal frame portion 14 and the intermediate horizontal frame portion 15, which correspond to the total height of the lower panel 17, are set to exceed the effective evacuation height (for example, 970 mm).

[0025] (Power cables and wiring ducts) The wiring-integrated partition 100 of the present invention further includes a wiring duct 30 capable of accommodating a power cable 20 as a wiring section D. The power cable 20 supplies power from the power outlet 7 to the building facing the balcony 1. The wiring duct 30 is capable of housing the power cable 20 inside and is fixed to the outside of the components of the partition body 10 in a position that does not impair the function of the partition body 10. The components of the partition body 10 located in positions that do not impair its function are the inner vertical frame portion 11, the outer vertical frame portion 12, the upper horizontal frame portion 13, the lower horizontal frame portion 14, or the intermediate horizontal frame portion 15 as described above. As will be described later in the third embodiment, the power cable 20 may be provided inside the component of the partition P.

[0026] (First embodiment of power cable 20 and wiring duct 30) Figure 3 is a side view showing a first embodiment of the power cable 20 and wiring duct 30.

[0027] In this example, the power cable 20 has a first curved section 22a, a first straight section 22b, a second curved section 22c, a second straight section 22d, a third curved section 22e, and a drop-in section 26. The first curved section 22a extends downward and inward from the power extraction end 7 to the outer vertical frame section 12. The first straight section 22b extends horizontally inward from the first curved section 22a. The second curved section 22c curves downward from the first straight section 22b. The second straight section 22d extends vertically downward from the second curved section 22c. The third curved section 22e curves horizontally inward from the second straight section 22d. The entry section 26 is the part that enters the living space from the third curved section 22e.

[0028] The power cable 20 is a single insulated power wire in its entirety, and has connection sockets 27 at both ends. The outer diameter of the power cable 20 is, for example, approximately 7 mm, and the outer diameter of the socket 27 is, for example, 13 mm. The minimum bending radius of the power cable 20 is, for example, 56 mm. Furthermore, a power cable (not shown) connected to the socket 27 of the entry point 26 is connected to the battery or power controller of the solar power generation system via, for example, under the floor inside the living room. The height of the retraction section 26 can be set arbitrarily, for example, 500 mm from the floor section 2.

[0029] In Figure 3, the wiring duct 30 has an intermediate horizontal duct 32 and an inner end vertical duct 34. The intermediate horizontal duct 32 is located on the side of the intermediate horizontal frame section 15. The inner vertical duct 34 is located on the side of the inner vertical frame section 11. The intermediate horizontal duct 32 and the inner end vertical duct 34 house the first curved section 22a, the first straight section 22b, the second curved section 22c, and the second straight section 22d of the power cable 20.

[0030] In Figure 3, it is preferable that the first straight section 22b, which is connected to the first curved section 22a of the power cable 20 that is bent at or above the minimum bending radius, extends horizontally inward without any strain. In this case, since the first straight section 22b passes inside the intermediate horizontal duct 32, the intermediate horizontal duct 32 must be located inside the vertical width of the intermediate horizontal frame section 15. This is because if the intermediate horizontal duct 32 overlaps with the upper panel 16 or the lower panel 17 and partially blocks it, it will impair the function of the partition body 10 (for example, its function as an emergency evacuation route). Therefore, in this example, the intermediate horizontal frame portion 15 of the partition body 10 is set to be at the height of the first straight portion 22b of the power cable 20.

[0031] Figure 4 is a partial explanatory diagram of Figure 3, where (A) is an enlarged view of section A, (B) is a view along the arrow BB, and (C) is a view along the arrow CC.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4(A), the handrail 6 consists of a handrail body 6a fixed to the upper end of the handrail post 9 and a handrail cover 6b that can be attached to the upper part of the handrail body 6a. When the handrail cover 6b is attached, the handrail 6 is constructed to be watertight so that rainwater does not penetrate inside. The power outlet end 7 is housed inside the handrail 6, and the power cable 20 is taken out from below the handrail body 6a via a socket 27 (not shown) and introduced into the intermediate horizontal duct 32 via the first curved section 22a. Furthermore, a duct cover 33 is attached to the inlet of the intermediate horizontal duct 32 (the leftmost part in this diagram) to prevent rainwater from entering the interior of the intermediate horizontal duct 32.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4(B), the intermediate horizontal frame section 15 in this example consists of a pair of horizontal frames 15a and 15b that are positioned in close contact vertically. Each of the horizontal frames 15a and 15b is a member (preferably made of aluminum extruded material) with a hollow rectangular cross-section as a whole, and has a gripping member on a part thereof that grips one side of the upper panel 16 or the lower panel 17. In other words, in this figure, the gripping member of the upper horizontal frame 15a is shaped to grip the upper panel 16, and the gripping member of the lower horizontal frame 15b is shaped to grip the lower panel 17. As mentioned above, in this example, the upper panel 16 is thicker (for example, 5 mm), and the lower panel 17 is thinner than the upper panel 16 (for example, 4 mm).

[0034] In Figure 4(B), the intermediate horizontal duct 32 is located on the side of the intermediate horizontal frame section 15. In this example, the intermediate horizontal duct 32 is a member with a hollow rectangular cross-section (preferably an aluminum extruded material) and is configured to allow at least two power cables 20 to pass through its interior. In this example, the intermediate horizontal duct 32 consists of a duct body 32a with an overall U-shaped cross-section and a duct cover 32b that can be attached to and detached from the U-shaped opening (on the right side in the diagram). The intermediate horizontal duct 32 is watertight when the duct cover 32b is attached, preventing rainwater from entering the interior.

[0035] In this example, both ends of the duct body 32a are fixed to the fixing hardware 11c (described later) of the inner vertical frame section 11 and the outer vertical frame section 12, respectively, and are positioned on the side of the intermediate horizontal frame section 15.

[0036] In Figure 4(C), the inner vertical frame section 11 in this example consists of a vertical frame 11a and fixing hardware 11c.

[0037] The vertical frame 11a is a member with a rectangular cross-section overall (preferably an aluminum extruded material), and has a gripping member on a part of it that grips one side of the lower panel 17. The gripping member of the vertical frame 11a is shaped to grip the lower panel 17. The inner vertical frame section 11 above the intermediate horizontal frame section 15 similarly consists of a vertical frame 11b (see Figure 6) and fixing hardware 11c. The gripping member of the upper vertical frame 11b differs from that of the lower vertical frame 11a in that its shape is set to grip the upper panel 16.

[0038] The fixing hardware 11c is fixed to the wall 5 and is a member with a U-shaped cross-section (preferably made of aluminum extruded material). The vertical frame 11a (or vertical frame 11b) is gripped inside it and firmly fixed with bolts or the like. In this example, the fixing hardware 11c is configured to be separable into two parts. Furthermore, as described above, the rightmost end of the fixing hardware 11c is firmly fixed to the vertical end surfaces of the ceiling 3 and wall 5 by multiple anchor bolts 18 (see Figure 2).

[0039] In Figure 4(C), the inner vertical duct 34 is located on the side surface of the inner vertical frame section 11. The inner vertical duct 34 has the same cross-sectional shape as the intermediate horizontal duct 32 in this example, and is a hollow rectangular cross-section member as a whole, and is configured to allow at least two power cables 20 to pass through its interior.

[0040] In this example, the inner vertical duct 34 consists of a duct body 34a with an overall U-shaped cross-section and a removable duct cover 34b located in the U-shaped opening. The duct body 34a is directly fixed to the inner vertical frame 11 and is located on the side surface of the inner vertical frame 11. The inner vertical duct 34 is watertight when the duct cover 34b is attached, preventing rainwater from entering the interior.

[0041] According to the configuration of the first embodiment described above, the partition body 10, which is the partition P, ensures privacy from the adjacent door, and by pushing through and removing the lower panel 17, an evacuation route can be formed in an emergency. Furthermore, the intermediate horizontal duct 32 and the inner vertical duct 34, which constitute the wiring section D, can accommodate the power cable 20 that supplies power from the power outlet end 7 to the living room facing the balcony 1.

[0042] Therefore, the power cable 20 can supply power from the power outlet 7 of the solar panel 8 to the building facing the balcony 1 through the inside of the wiring duct 30 (intermediate horizontal duct 32 and inner vertical duct 34). Furthermore, since the wiring duct 30 that houses the power cable 20 is located on the side of the intermediate horizontal frame 15 and the side of the inner vertical frame 11 without impairing the function of the partition body, the partition can maintain its function of forming an evacuation route by pushing through the lower panel 17 in an emergency.

[0043] (Second Embodiment) Figure 5 is a side view showing a second embodiment of the wiring-integrated partition 100 of the present invention. In this figure, the configuration of the partition body 10, which is the partition P, is the same as in the first embodiment described above.

[0044] (Second embodiment of power cable 20 and wiring duct 30) In Figure 5, the power cable 20 has a first straight section 24a, a first curved section 24b, a second straight section 24c, a second curved section 24d, a third straight section 24e, a fourth curved section 24f, and a drop-in section 26. The first straight section 24a extends vertically upward from the power extraction end 7. The first curved section 24b extends upward and inward from the upper end of the first straight section 24a. The second straight section 24c extends horizontally inward from the first curved section 24b. The second curved section 24d curves downward from the second straight section 24c. The third straight section 24e extends vertically downward from the second curved section 24d. The fourth curved section 24f curves horizontally inward from the third straight section 24e. The entry section 26 is the part that enters the living space from the fourth curved section 24f.

[0045] The power cable 20 is, for example, two insulated power wires in total, with connection sockets 27 at both ends. The outer diameter of the power cable 20 is, for example, approximately 7 mm, and the outer diameter of the socket 27 is, for example, 13 mm. The minimum bending radius of the power cable 20 is, for example, 56 mm. Furthermore, a power cable (not shown) connected to the socket 27 of the entry point 26 is connected to the battery or power controller of the solar power generation system via, for example, under the floor inside the living room.

[0046] In Figure 5, the first straight section 24a and the first curved section 24b are located outside the outer vertical frame section 12 (on the left side in the figure). The second straight section 24c is located above the upper horizontal frame section 13. The third straight section 24e is located on the side of the inner vertical frame section 11.

[0047] In Figure 5, the wiring section D, which is the wiring duct 30, has an outer vertical duct 36, an upper horizontal duct 37, and an inner vertical duct 38. The outer vertical duct 36 is fixed to the outside (left side in the diagram) of the outer vertical frame 12. The upper horizontal duct 37 is fixed above the upper horizontal frame portion 13. The inner vertical duct 38 is fixed to the side surface of the inner vertical frame section 11.

[0048] The outer vertical duct 36, the upper horizontal duct 37, and the inner vertical duct 38 house the first straight section 24a, the first curved section 24b, the second straight section 24c, and the third straight section 24e. In this example, the second curved section 24d is located outside the wiring duct 30 between the right end of the upper horizontal duct 37 and the upper end of the inner vertical duct 38 in the diagram of the upper horizontal duct 37. This section may be covered with another protective duct (not shown).

[0049] Figure 6 is a partial explanatory diagram of Figure 5, where (A) is an enlarged view of section A, (B) is a view along arrow BB, (C) is a view along arrow CC, and (D) is a view along arrow DD.

[0050] As shown in Figure 6(A), a mounting cover 39 is attached to the upper part of the handrail 6 where the power outlet 7 is located. The mounting cover 39 fits into a part of the handrail body 6a to prevent rainwater from entering from the surroundings. In this example, the upper surface of the mounting cover 39 is horizontal.

[0051] In this example, the handrail cover 6b and the mounting cover 39 are provided with through holes for the power cable 20, and are configured to allow the power cable 20 to pass vertically upward from the power outlet end 7. The configuration of handrail 6 is the same as in the example described above.

[0052] As shown in Figure 6(B), the outer vertical frame section 12 in this example consists of a vertical frame 12a and a rectangular metal fitting 12b. The vertical frame 12a is the same as the vertical frame 11b (not shown) described above. The gripping members of the vertical frame 11b and vertical frame 12a are shaped to grip the upper panel 16. The rectangular metal fitting 12b is a member with a hollow rectangular cross-section (preferably made of aluminum extruded material) and is connected to the vertical frame 12a with bolts or the like.

[0053] The outer vertical duct 36 is a member (preferably made of aluminum extruded material) with a U-shaped cross-section overall, and a rectangular metal fitting 12b is gripped inside it and firmly fixed with bolts or the like. In this example, the outer vertical duct 36 is configured to be separable into two parts, as shown in Figure 6(B), but it may also be formed as a single unit to form a U-shaped cross-section. Furthermore, in the diagram of the outer vertical duct 36, the length in the left-right direction is set so that the first curved section 24b of the power cable 20 can pass through the rectangular space formed between it and the rectangular metal fitting 12b with a bending radius of at least the minimum bending radius.

[0054] In Figure 6(C), the upper horizontal frame section 13 consists of the same horizontal frame 13a as the horizontal frame 15a of the intermediate horizontal frame section 15. Furthermore, the upper horizontal duct 37 is a member with a U-shaped cross-section (preferably made of aluminum extruded material) as a whole, and the horizontal frame 13a is gripped at its inner lower part and firmly fixed with bolts or the like. Furthermore, in the diagram of the upper horizontal duct 37, the vertical length is set so that at least two power cables 20 can pass through the rectangular space formed between it and the horizontal frame 13a.

[0055] In Figure 6(D), the inner vertical duct 38 is located on the side (lower side in the figure) of the inner vertical frame section 11. In this example, the inner vertical frame section 11 consists of a vertical frame 11b and fixing hardware 11c. The gripping member of the vertical frame 11b grips the upper panel 16. The inner vertical duct 38 has the same cross-sectional shape as the intermediate horizontal duct 32 in this example, and is a hollow rectangular cross-section member (preferably made of aluminum extruded material) as a whole, and is configured to allow at least two power cables 20 to pass through its interior. In this example, the inner vertical duct 38 consists of a duct body 38a with a U-shaped cross-section overall, and a duct cover 38b that can be attached to or removed from the U-shaped opening. The inner vertical duct 38 is watertight when the duct cover 38b is attached, preventing rainwater from entering the interior.

[0056] Furthermore, in Figure 5, the duct cover 33 (see Figure 4) described above is attached to the inner end face (right end face in the figure) of the upper horizontal duct 37, and to the upper and lower end faces of the inner vertical duct 38, to prevent rainwater from entering the interior.

[0057] The other configurations of the power cable 20 and the wiring duct 30 are the same as those of the first embodiment described above.

[0058] According to the configuration of the second embodiment described above, the partition body 10, which is the partition P, ensures privacy from the adjacent door, and by pushing through and removing the lower panel 17, an evacuation route can be formed in an emergency. Furthermore, the wiring section D, consisting of an outer vertical duct 36, an upper horizontal duct 37, and an inner vertical duct 38, can accommodate the power cable 20 that supplies power from the power outlet 7 to the living room facing the balcony 1.

[0059] Therefore, the power cable 20 can supply power from the power outlet 7 of the solar panel 8 to the building facing the balcony 1 through the inside of the wiring duct 30. Furthermore, since the wiring duct 30 is fixed to the outside of the outer vertical frame portion 12, above the upper horizontal frame portion 13, and to the side of the inner vertical frame portion 11, without impairing the function of the partition body 10, it is possible to break through the lower panel 17 in an emergency to form an evacuation route.

[0060] The wiring duct 30 described above has a fixing portion 30a (not shown) that can be fixed to a component of the partition body 10, and a lid portion 30b (not shown) that can be attached to and detached from the fixing portion 30a to allow access to the inside of the wiring duct 30. The fixing portion 30a is, for example, the duct body 32a, 34a, 38a described above, and the cover portion 30b is, for example, the fixing portion of the duct cover 32b, 34b, 38b described above, the outer end vertical duct 36, and the upper end horizontal duct 37. This configuration allows the wiring duct 30 to be retrofitted to the existing partition body 10. Furthermore, even when accessing the inside of the wiring duct 30 after the wiring-integrated partition 100 has been installed, the wiring inspection and replacement of the power cable 20 can be easily performed. Alternatively, a partition body 10 with the wiring duct 30 and power cable 20 pre-installed may be installed on the balcony 1.

[0061] Furthermore, as described above, the wiring duct 30 is configured to allow at least two curved sections of the power cables 20 to pass through with a minimum bending radius or greater.

[0062] (Third embodiment) Figure 7 is a side view showing a third embodiment of the wiring-integrated partition 100 of the present invention. In this figure, the balcony 1 shown in the first and second embodiments is omitted, and only the wiring-integrated partition 100 installed on the balcony 1 is shown. In this figure, (A) is an overall view of the wiring-integrated partition 100, and (B) is an exploded view of (A) with a portion of the front side removed.

[0063] In Figures 7(A) and 7(B), the wiring-integrated partition 100 has an upper rectangular frame 50, a lower rectangular frame 52, and a frame fixing member 60.

[0064] The upper rectangular frame 50 is located above the space between adjacent dwelling units. The upper rectangular frame 50 is composed of the vertical frames 11b, 12a, horizontal frames 13a, 15a, and upper panel 16 as described above. While it is preferable that the vertical frames 11b and 12a, and the horizontal frames 13a and 15a are identical, they may be different.

[0065] The lower rectangular frame 52 is located at the bottom between adjacent dwelling units. The lower rectangular frame 52 is composed of the vertical frame 11a, the horizontal frame 15b, and the lower panel 17 described above.

[0066] The frame fixing member 60 is configured to position the upper rectangular frame 50 and the lower rectangular frame 52 vertically and to be fixed to the balcony 1. Fixing to the balcony 1 is done by anchor bolts 18, fixing brackets 19a, 19b, etc., as shown in Figure 2.

[0067] In Figure 7(A), the frame fixing member 60 includes an inner vertical frame fixing member 62A, an outer vertical frame fixing member 62B, an upper end frame fixing member 64A, a lower end frame fixing member 64B, and an intermediate fixing member 66.

[0068] The inner vertical frame fixing member 62A is located at the inner end of the wiring partition 100, extends vertically, and clamps the outer edges (right side in the diagram) of the upper rectangular frame 50 and the lower rectangular frame 52 at its outer end (left side in the diagram). The outer vertical frame fixing member 62B is located at the outer end of the wiring-integrated partition 100, extends vertically, and clamps the outer edges (left side in the diagram) of the upper rectangular frame 50 and the lower rectangular frame 52 at its inner end (right side in the diagram).

[0069] The inner vertical frame fixing member 62A and the outer vertical frame fixing member 62B are members with an overall U-shaped cross-section, similar to the fixing hardware 11c described above. The outer edges of the upper rectangular frame 50 and the lower rectangular frame 52 are sandwiched inside them and firmly fixed with bolts or the like (not shown). Furthermore, the inner vertical frame fixing member 62A and the outer vertical frame fixing member 62B are configured to be separable into two parts, similar to the fixing hardware 11c described above. While it is preferable that the inner vertical frame fixing member 62A and the outer vertical frame fixing member 62B are the same, they may be different.

[0070] The upper frame fixing member 64A is located at the upper end of the wiring-integrated partition 100, extends horizontally between the inner vertical frame fixing member 62A and the outer vertical frame fixing member 62B, and clamps the upper end of the upper rectangular frame 50 at its lower end. The lower end frame fixing member 64B is located at the lower end of the wiring-integrated partition 100, extends horizontally between the inner vertical frame fixing member 62A and the outer vertical frame fixing member 62B, and clamps the lower end of the lower rectangular frame 52 at its upper end.

[0071] The upper frame fixing member 64A and the lower frame fixing member 64B are members with an overall U-shaped cross-section, similar to the upper horizontal duct 37 described above, and they clamp the outer edges of the upper rectangular frame 50 and the lower rectangular frame 52 at their inner ends and are firmly fixed with bolts or the like (not shown). Furthermore, similar to the fixing hardware 11c described above, it is preferable that the upper frame fixing member 64A and the lower frame fixing member 64B are configured to be separable into two parts. While it is preferable that the upper frame fixing member 64A and the lower frame fixing member 64B are the same, they may be different.

[0072] The intermediate fixing member 66 is located in the middle of the wiring-integrated partition 100 and is a flat plate that extends horizontally between the inner vertical frame fixing member 62A and the outer vertical frame fixing member 62B. The intermediate fixing member 66 integrally covers the outer sides of the lower end of the upper frame fixing member 64A (the portion of the horizontal frame 15a) and the upper end of the lower frame fixing member 64B (the portion of the horizontal frame 15b), spanning the gap, and is fixed to the horizontal frame 15a and horizontal frame 15b with bolts or the like (not shown).

[0073] Figure 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of Figure 7(A), where (A) is a view along arrow AA and (B) is a view along arrow BB.

[0074] In this example, the frame fixing member 60 has a gap between it and the upper rectangular frame 50 and the lower rectangular frame 52 that constitutes the wiring section D inside the partition. This gap has a first gap Δ1 (described later) between the upper rectangular frame 50 and the lower rectangular frame 52, and a second gap Δ2 (described later) on the living room side of the lower rectangular frame.

[0075] In Figure 8(A), the frame fixing member 60 has a first gap Δ1 between the lower end of the upper rectangular frame 50 and the upper end of the lower rectangular frame 52. That is, in this figure, there is a first gap Δ1 between the horizontal frames 15a and 15b. The first gap Δ1 is set to allow at least two straight sections of power cables 20 to pass through. In Figure 7(A), this first gap Δ1 is covered and not visible by the intermediate fixing member 66.

[0076] It is preferable that the first straight section 22b, which connects to the first curved section 22a of the first embodiment, which is bent at a minimum bending radius or greater than that of the power cable 20, extends horizontally into the first gap Δ1 on the inside without any difficulty. Therefore, the vertical position of the first gap Δ1 is set to coincide with the height of the intermediate horizontal duct 32 in the first embodiment described above.

[0077] In Figure 8(B), the frame fixing member 60 further has a second gap Δ2 on the living room side (right side in the figure) of the lower rectangular frame 52. That is, in this figure, there is a second gap Δ2 between the inner vertical frame fixing member 62A and the vertical frame 11a. The second gap Δ2 is set to allow at least two straight sections of power cables 20 to pass through. Furthermore, in Figure 7(A), this second gap Δ2 is covered and not visible by the front surface of the inner vertical frame fixing member 62A.

[0078] Furthermore, in Figure 7(B), in this example, a chamfered portion 52a is provided at the upper right corner of the lower rectangular frame 52, so that the curved portion of the power cable 20 can pass through with a bending radius greater than or equal to the minimum bending radius. Note that the chamfer 52a is not limited to this position and may also be provided at other corners.

[0079] In this example, the wiring section D of the present invention is formed by the first gap Δ1 and the second gap Δ2 inside the partition section, as described above. In other words, as shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), the power cable 20 shown in Figure 3 can be routed from the power outlet end to the living room facing the balcony 1 through a wiring duct formed by the first gap Δ1 and the second gap Δ2. In this example, the power cable 20 is taken out from the inner vertical frame fixing member 62A towards the living room side (right side in the diagram), but it may be taken in a different direction as needed, for example, a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in the diagram.

[0080] The partition installation method of the present invention is a method for installing the wiring-integrated partition 100 described above.

[0081] In the method of the present invention, the partition P of the wiring-integrated partition 100 is positioned vertically between adjacent dwelling units and fixed to the balcony 1, and then the power cable 20 is housed in the wiring section D. The power cable 20 may be housed in the wiring section D before the partition section P is fixed in place.

[0082] For example, first, the partition P is positioned vertically between adjacent dwelling units and fixed to the balcony 1. In the first and second embodiments, the partition P is a partition body 10, and the partition body 10 is installed at a predetermined location on the balcony 1. In the third embodiment, the partition P is the entire wiring-integrated partition excluding the power cable 20, and the entire wiring-integrated partition is installed at a predetermined location on the balcony 1.

[0083] In the method of the present invention, the power cable 20 is then housed in the wiring section D. In the first and second embodiments, the wiring section D is a wiring duct 30 fixed to the outside of the components of the partition body 10 in a position that does not impair the function of the partition body 10. In the third embodiment, the wiring section D is formed by a first gap Δ1 and a second gap Δ2 inside the partition section. When housing the power cable 20, it is necessary to remove a portion of the partition body 10 or the wiring-integrated partition 100.

[0084] According to the apparatus and method of the present invention described above, the partition P ensures privacy from the adjacent door, and an evacuation route can be formed in an emergency by pushing through and removing the lower panel 17. Furthermore, a wiring section D provided on the outside of the components of the partition body 10 or inside the partition section can accommodate a power cable 20 that supplies power from the power outlet end 7 to the living space facing the balcony 1.

[0085] Therefore, it is possible to maintain the function of forming evacuation routes in emergencies, and to supply electricity from the solar panels to the building facing balcony 1.

[0086] The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but is indicated by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of equivalence to the claims.

[0087] For example, after installing the partition body 10 (or wiring-integrated partition) with the power cable 20 on the balcony 1, the power cable 20 of the partition body 10 may be connected to another power cable 20 (for example, one provided on the handrail 6) via a connector not shown. Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an example in which the power cable 20 is provided along the intermediate horizontal frame portion 15 or the upper horizontal duct 37, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the power cable 20 may be provided along the lower horizontal frame portion 14 or a duct (not shown) attached to the lower horizontal frame portion 14. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0088] D Wiring section, P Partition section, Δ1 First gap, Δ2 Second gap, 1 Balcony, 2 Floor section, 3 Ceiling section, 4 Glass door, 5 Wall, 6 Handrail, 6a Handrail body, 6b Handrail cover, 7 Power outlet end, 8 Solar panel, 9 Handrail post, 10 Partition body, 11 Inner vertical frame section, 11a, 11b Vertical frame, 11c Fixing hardware, 12 Outer vertical frame section, 12a Vertical frame, 12b Rectangular hardware, 13 Upper horizontal frame section, 13a Horizontal frame, 14 Lower horizontal frame section, 15 Intermediate horizontal frame section, 15a, 15b Horizontal frame, 16 Upper panel, 17 Lower panel, 18 Anchor bolt, 19a, 19b Fixing hardware, 20 Power cable, 22a First curved section, 22b First straight section, 22c 22d Second curved section, 22e Second straight section, 24a Third curved section, 24b First curved section, 24c Second straight section, 24d Second curved section, 24e Third straight section, 24f Fourth curved section, 26 Inlet section, 27 Socket, 30 Wiring duct, 30a Fixing section, 30b Cover section, 32 Intermediate horizontal duct, 32a Duct body, 32b Duct cover, 33 Duct cover, 34 Inner end vertical duct, 34a Duct body, 34b Duct cover, 36 Outer end vertical duct, 37 Upper end horizontal duct, 38 Inner end vertical duct, 38a Duct body, 38b Duct cover, 39 Mounting cover, 50 Upper rectangular frame, 52 Lower rectangular frame, 52a Chamfered section, 60 Frame fixing member, 62A Inner vertical frame fixing member, 62B Outer vertical frame fixing member, 64A Upper end frame fixing member, 64B Lower end frame fixing member, 66 Intermediate fixing member, 100 Wiring-integrated partition

Claims

1. A wiring-integrated partition installed on the balcony of a building that can utilize electricity from solar panels, A partition that ensures privacy from neighboring units and allows for the formation of an evacuation route in case of emergency, A wiring-integrated partition comprising a wiring section capable of housing a power cable that supplies power from the solar panel to a living room facing the balcony.

2. The aforementioned partition is a partition body that separates adjacent dwelling units. The wiring section is a wiring duct fixed to the outside of the component members of the partition body in a position that does not impair the function of the partition body, as described in claim 1.

3. The partition body is An inner vertical frame section located at the inner end of the balcony and extending vertically, The outer vertical frame portion located at the outer end of the balcony and extending vertically, An upper horizontal frame portion that horizontally connects the upper ends of the inner vertical frame portion and the outer vertical frame portion, A lower horizontal frame portion that horizontally connects the lower ends of the inner vertical frame portion and the outer vertical frame portion, An intermediate horizontal frame section horizontally connects the intermediate section between the inner vertical frame section and the outer vertical frame section, The upper panel, whose four sides are sandwiched between the inner vertical frame, the outer vertical frame, the upper horizontal frame, and the intermediate horizontal frame, It has an inner vertical frame, an outer vertical frame, a lower horizontal frame, and a lower panel whose four sides are sandwiched between the intermediate horizontal frame, The wiring-integrated partition according to claim 2, wherein the removal of the lower panel allows the portion of the lower panel to form an emergency evacuation route.

4. The balcony has a railing that extends horizontally to a predetermined height, and a power extraction end of the solar panel located inside the railing. The power cable has a first curved section that curves downward and inward from the power outlet end and extends horizontally inward, a first straight section that extends horizontally inward from the first curved section, a second curved section that curves downward from the first straight section, a second straight section that extends vertically downward from the second curved section, and a third curved section that curves horizontally inward from the second straight section. The wiring-integrated partition according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate horizontal frame portion of the partition body is positioned at the height of the first straight portion of the power cable.

5. The wiring duct comprises an intermediate horizontal duct located on the side of the intermediate horizontal frame and an inner vertical duct located on the side of the inner vertical frame of the partition body. The wiring partition according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate horizontal duct and the inner end vertical duct house the first straight section, the second curved section, and the second straight section inward.

6. The balcony has a railing that extends horizontally to a predetermined height, and a power extraction end of the solar panel located inside the railing. The power cable has a first straight section extending vertically upward from the power outlet end, a first curved section extending upward and inward from the upper end of the first straight section, a second straight section extending horizontally inward from the first curved section, a second curved section bending downward from the second straight section, a third straight section extending vertically downward from the second curved section, and a fourth curved section bending horizontally inward from the third straight section. The wiring-integrated partition according to claim 2, wherein the first straight section and the first curved section are located outside the outer vertical frame section of the partition body, the second straight section is located above the upper horizontal frame section of the partition body, and the third straight section is located on the side surface of the inner vertical frame section of the partition body.

7. The wiring duct comprises an outer end vertical duct fixed to the outside of the outer vertical frame, an upper end horizontal duct fixed above the upper end horizontal frame, and an inner end vertical duct fixed to the side surface of the inner vertical frame. The wiring-integrated partition according to claim 6, wherein the outer end vertical duct, the upper end horizontal duct, and the inner end vertical duct house the first straight section, the first curved section, the second straight section, and the third straight section on the inside.

8. The wiring partition according to claim 2, wherein the wiring duct has a fixing portion that can be fixed to a component of the partition body, and a lid portion that can be attached to and detached from the fixing portion to allow access to the inside of the wiring duct.

9. The wiring partition according to claim 2, wherein the wiring duct is configured to allow at least two curved portions of the power cables to pass through with a minimum bending radius or greater.

10. The aforementioned partition is, The upper rectangular frame located above the adjacent dwelling units, A lower rectangular frame located at the bottom between adjacent dwelling units, The upper rectangular frame and the lower rectangular frame are positioned vertically, and the frame fixing member is fixed to the balcony, The wiring-integrated partition according to claim 1, wherein the frame fixing member has a gap that constitutes the wiring section inside the partition.

11. The gap comprises a first gap between the upper rectangular frame and the lower rectangular frame, and a second gap on the living room side of the lower rectangular frame. The wiring section is formed by the first gap and the second gap, as described in claim 10.

12. A partition installation method for installing a wiring-integrated partition as described in claim 1, A partition installation method comprising housing the power cable in the wiring section before or after positioning the partition vertically between adjacent dwelling units and fixing it to the balcony.

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