Folding booth

Abstract

We offer highly practical foldable booths. [Solution] A folding booth 10 is configured to be deformable between an unfolded state in which the top wall 16 and the pair of side walls 18L, 18R are extended to form a space inside, and a folded state in which the top wall 16 and the pair of side walls 18L, 18R are folded in a stored state. The rear wall 14 includes a main body 30 to which the top wall 16 and the pair of side walls 18L, 18R are connected, and a closing plate 32(80) that closes an opening 30a formed in the main body 30, wherein the closing plate 32 is detachable from the main body 30.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a folding booth.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] The applicant of the present application is conducting studies and development related to folding booths, as disclosed in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2. The folding booths disclosed in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2 are configured to include a front wall having an entrance, a rear wall facing the front wall, a top wall connecting the upper end of the front wall and the upper end of the rear wall, and a pair of side walls connecting the side ends of the front wall and the side ends of the rear wall, and are configured to be deformable into a folded state such that the top wall and the pair of side walls are stored between the front wall and the rear wall.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0003]

PATENT DOCUMENT 1

PATENT DOCUMENT 2

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0004] The folding booth described in the above patent documents still has room for improvement, and it is considered that the practicality of the folding booth can be enhanced by implementing various improvements.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such actual circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a highly practical folding booth.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0006] The folding booth disclosed in the present application is based on the configuration described in the following item (0), and is configured as set forth in the following item (1) and subsequent items to solve the above problems.

[0007] (0) Front wall having an entrance and exit, The rear wall opposite the aforementioned front wall, The top wall deforms between an extended state in which it is extended to form a flat plate and connects the upper end of the front wall and the upper end of the rear wall, and a stored state in which it is folded and stored between the front wall and the rear wall, A pair of side walls that deform between an extended state in which they are extended to form a flat plate and connect the side ends of the front wall and the side ends of the rear wall, and a stored state in which they are folded and stored between the front wall and the rear wall, A folding booth comprising a configuration that allows it to be transformed between an unfolded state in which the top wall and a pair of side walls are extended to form a space inside, and a folded state in which the top wall and a pair of side walls are folded in a stored state.

[0008] (1) The folding booth according to item (0), wherein the rear wall includes a main body to which the top wall and a pair of the side walls are connected, and a closing plate that closes an opening formed in the main body, and the closing plate is detachable from the main body.

[0009] The folding booth disclosed in this application allows for the removal of a closing plate, which is part of the back wall. For example, if two folding booths with this configuration are prepared and their back walls are placed together, the internal spaces of the two folding booths can be connected by removing the closing plates from both booths. In addition, for example, by preparing panel-like members with the same detachable structure as the closing plate, such as windows or panel-like members integrating equipment such as displays, it is possible to easily replace the closing plate with these members. In other words, the folding booth disclosed in this application allows for easy modification of the characteristics of the internal space depending on the intended use of the folding booth.

[0010] Furthermore, this folding booth configuration includes a door that rotates outwards to open, which is useful in situations such as a disaster where it becomes impossible to open the door that serves as the entrance and exit. In such cases, even if a heavy object is present outside the door and prevents it from being opened, an exit can be secured by removing a blocking plate from inside the folding booth.

[0011] The size of the opening in the back wall is not particularly limited; it may be relatively large, extending from the bottom to near the top of the back wall, or it may be about the size of a window. Providing a relatively large opening allows users to move between the two booths when they are connected. Incidentally, if the opening extends to the bottom of the back wall, it will be easier for users to move between the two booths, but from the standpoint of ensuring the strength of the folding booth, it is desirable that the bottom of the back wall has an opening that connects the booths.

[0012] (2) The folding booth according to item (1), wherein when the back walls of two of the folding booths in the unfolded state are brought together to form a booth connection state, the folding booth is provided with a booth connection mechanism for connecting to an adjacent folding booth.

[0013] (3) In the folded state, the front wall and the rear wall are provided with a fixing mechanism, The folding booth according to item (2), wherein the fixing mechanism can be fixed between the rear wall of an adjacent folding booth when the booths are connected, and also functions as the booth connecting mechanism.

[0014] (4) The fixing mechanism has a lever that is rotatably provided on the side end of the rear wall, The folding booth according to item (3), wherein the lever engages with the front wall in the folded state and engages with the rear wall of the adjacent folding booth in the booth-connected state.

[0015] (5) The folding booth according to any one of paragraphs (1) to (4), wherein the closing plate is provided with a closing plate mounting portion that can be attached to the inside of the folding booth in the unfolded state.

[0016] (6) The folding booth according to item (5), wherein the closing plate mounting portion is provided between the inner surface of the front wall and the inner surface of the rear wall and is mountable along the inner surface of the side wall.

[0017] (7) The folding booth according to any one of items (1) to (6), wherein the closing plate consists of two or more panel members divided in the vertical direction.

[0018] (8) The folding booth according to any one of items (0) to (7), wherein the front wall, the rear wall, the top wall, and the pair of side walls are mainly made of aluminum alloy members.

[0019] (9) The front wall has a rectangular frame that forms the entrance and an entrance, and a door that is rotatably supported on one of a pair of pillars that extend vertically within the frame and is capable of opening and closing the entrance. The folding booth according to any one of items (0) to (8), wherein the sill portion of the frame, which connects the lower ends of the pair of pillar portions, is rotatably attached at one end to one of the pair of pillars and can be raised along the one.

[0020] In this type of folding booth, the footrest is usually connected to the other of a pair of pillars to ensure the rigidity of the front wall, and consequently, the rigidity of the folding booth itself. On the other hand, when unfolded, the footrest can be raised to eliminate the step at the entrance, thus making it barrier-free. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, a highly practical foldable booth can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the foldable booth of the embodiment in the deployed state, as seen from the front side [Figure 2] A perspective view of the foldable booth in the deployed state, as seen from the rear side [Figure 3] A plan cross-sectional view of the foldable booth in the deployed state [Figure 4] A perspective cross-sectional view of the foldable booth in the deployed state [Figure 5] A perspective view of the foldable booth in the folded state [Figure 6] A plan cross-sectional view of the foldable booth in the folded state [Figure 7] A bottom view of the foldable booth in the folded state [Figure 8] A perspective view showing a stopper mechanism [Figure 9] A perspective view showing a stopper mechanism [Figure 10] A view showing the sill part constituting the door frame of the front wall, as seen from the rear side [Figure 11] A view showing a state where the sill part is being rotated [Figure 12] A view showing a state where the sill part is erected [Figure 13] An enlarged perspective view showing the stopper of the sill part shown in Fig. 10 [Figure 14] An enlarged perspective view showing the stopper of the sill part shown in Fig. 12 [Figure 15] A perspective view showing a state where two foldable booths are connected [Figure 16] A plan cross-sectional view of the two foldable booths in Fig. 15 [Figure 17] A perspective view showing a booth connection mechanism [Figure 18] A perspective view of a rear panel [Figure 19] A perspective view showing a state where the rear panel is being removed [Figure 20] A plan cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the rear panel and the frame [Figure 21] Perspective view showing the rear panel mounting area. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] A folding booth 10, which is one embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 21. The folding booth 10 of this embodiment is mainly installed indoors, such as in an office, and in the unfolded state shown in Figure 1, it is generally a hollow box shape, with a space inside that is large enough for one person to enter and work. In some parts of the drawings, the reference numerals F, B, L, R, U, and D are used to indicate direction, and these represent the front side (front), back side (rear), left side, right side, top side, and bottom side, respectively, when the folding booth 10 is viewed from the front.

[0024] The folding booth 10 of this embodiment is configured to be deformable between the unfolded state shown in Figures 1 to 4 and the folded state shown in Figures 5 to 7. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the folding booth 10 comprises a front wall 12 having an entrance / exit 12a (see Figure 3), a rear wall 14 facing the front wall 12 and forming the wall surface at the back of the interior space, a top wall 16 connecting the upper end of the front wall 12 and the upper end of the rear wall 14 to form the wall surface on the ceiling side of the interior space, and a pair of side walls 18L, 18R connecting the left and right side ends of the front wall 12 and the left and right side ends of the rear wall 14 to form the sides of the interior space. The front wall 12, rear wall 14, top wall 16, and the pair of side walls 18L, 18R are mainly constructed from aluminum alloy members, ensuring rigidity while reducing weight.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the front wall 12 is mainly composed of a door 20 that opens and closes the entrance 12a, and a door frame 22 that forms the entrance 12a and the frame of the door 20. The door frame 22 consists of a pair of front pillars 24L and 24R erected on the left and right sides, an upper frame 25 that connects the upper ends of the front pillars 24L and 24R, a threshold 26 that connects the lower ends of the front pillars 24L and 24R, and a pair of casters 27L and 27R positioned below the front pillars 24L and 24R to support the front wall 12. The door 20 is rotatably supported by a hinge 28 (concealed hinge, see Figure 3) on one of the front pillars 24L and 24R (in this embodiment, the right front pillar 24R), allowing the entrance 12a to be opened and closed. The door 20 consists of a frame 20a and a glass plate 20b fitted inside the frame, allowing visibility from the outside to the inside, or from the inside to the outside. However, the glass plate may be semi-transparent, or it may be made of an aluminum alloy plate, for example.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the rear wall 14 is mainly composed of a frame 30, which forms the outer shell and connects the top wall 16 and a pair of side walls 18L and 18R, and a closing plate 32 that closes the opening 30a formed inside the frame 30. The frame 30 consists of a pair of rear pillars 34L and 34R erected on the left and right sides, an upper frame 35 connecting the upper ends of the rear pillars 34L and 34R, a lower frame 36 connecting the lower ends of the rear pillars 34L and 34R, and a pair of casters 37L and 37R positioned below the rear pillars 34L and 34R to support the rear wall 14. As shown in Figure 4, the upper frame 35 is hollow and houses a fire extinguishing device 38 and the like. The lower frame 36 is also hollow and houses a ventilation fan 39, functioning as a ventilation passage for ventilating the inside of the folding booth 10. Furthermore, one of the rear pillars 34L, 34R (in this embodiment, the right rear pillar 34R) is equipped with a power supply, switches, and the like. A detailed explanation of the closing plate 32 will be withheld here and will be provided later.

[0027] The top wall 16 and the pair of side walls 18L and 18R, which connect the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14, are designed to be deformable between an extended state in which they are flat and a stored state in which they are folded and stored between the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14. As a result, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment can be transformed between an expanded state (see Figures 1 to 4) in which the top wall 16 and the pair of side walls 18L and 18R are extended to form an internal space, and a folded state (Figures 5 to 7) in which the top wall 16 and the pair of side walls 18L and 18R are stored.

[0028] Specifically, the top wall 16 is mainly composed of two ceiling panels 40F and 40B arranged in the front-to-back direction, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The front ceiling panel 40F is rotatably connected to the upper end of the front wall 12 by a plurality of hinges 41 (three in this embodiment), and the rear ceiling panel 40B is rotatably connected to the upper end of the rear wall 14 by a plurality of hinges 42. These two ceiling panels 40F and 40B are rotatably connected to each other by a plurality of hinges 43. With this configuration, the top wall 16 transforms from the extended state shown in Figures 1 and 2 to the stored state shown in Figure 5, by folding down the connecting portion (the portion with hinges 43) of the two ceiling panels 40F and 40B.

[0029] Furthermore, the pair of side walls 18L and 18R have identical configurations, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In the following description, the configurations of the pair of side walls 18L and 18R will be described by referring to one of them as a representative. However, when it is necessary to distinguish between left and right, the components corresponding to the left and right side walls 18L and 18R will be denoted as L and R, respectively.

[0030] The pair of side walls 18L and 18R are mainly composed of three side panels 46, 47, and 48, with two side panels 46 and 47 forming the lower portion and the other side panel 48 forming the upper portion. The lower side panels 46 and 47 have the same configuration as the top wall 16 described above, with the front side panel 46 being rotatably connected to the side end of the front wall 12 by a plurality (three in this embodiment) of hinges 49, and the rear side panel 47 being rotatably connected to the side end of the rear wall 14 by a plurality of hinges 50, and these two side panels 46 and 47 are rotatably connected to each other by a plurality of hinges 51.

[0031] The upper side panels 48 will be described in order. The upper side panel 48L, which corresponds to the left side wall 18L, is rotatably connected at its front end to the side end of the front wall 12 by a plurality of hinges 52L, as shown in Figure 6, and has a latch 53L at its rear end that can engage with a recess (latch receiver) formed on the side end of the rear wall 14. In other words, this left upper side panel 48L is configured to rotate between a state in which it extends in the front-rear direction and is connected to both the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14, and a state in which it extends along the front wall 12 (in the left-right direction). On the other hand, the upper side panel 48R, which corresponds to the right side wall 18R, is rotatably connected at its rear end to the side end of the rear wall 14 by a plurality of hinges 52R, and has a latch 53R at its front end that can engage with a recess (strike) formed on the side end of the front wall 12. In other words, the upper right side panel 48R is configured to rotate between a state in which it extends in the front-to-back direction and is connected to both the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14, and a state in which it extends along the rear wall 14 (in the left-to-right direction). When these two upper side panels 48 are connected to both the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14, they are located below the respective ends of the top wall 16 in the left-to-right direction and support the top wall 16, thereby preventing deformation of the top wall 16 from the extended state to the retracted state.

[0032] In this configuration, the pair of side walls 18L and 18R are in an extended state when the two lower side panels 46 and 47 are flat and the two upper side panels 48 extend in the front-rear direction. Then, the pair of side walls 18L and 18R are transformed into a stored state when the two upper side panels 48 are extended along the front wall 12 or rear wall 14 by releasing the latch 53, and the two lower side panels 46 and 47 are folded so that their connecting parts (the hinge 51 parts) move inward, so that the three side panels 46, 47, and 48 of each side wall 18L and 18R are stored between the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14.

[0033] When the lower side panels 46 and 47 described above are transformed from their extended state to their retracted state, the top wall 16 is also transformed from its extended state to its retracted state. In other words, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment is configured to be transformable between an unfolded state in which the top wall 16 and the pair of side walls 18L and 18R are extended to form a space inside, and a folded state in which the top wall 16 and the pair of side walls 18L and 18R are folded in their retracted state.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment has a table 56 inside. This table 56 consists of a table body 56a and a support member 56b that supports the table body 56a. The table 56 is designed so that the support member 56b rotatably holds the table body 56a, and as shown in Figure 5, it is possible to put the table body 56a in an upright position. In other words, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment can be transformed from an unfolded state to a folded state by putting the table body 56a in an upright position, and since there is no need to remove the table 56, the transformation between the unfolded state and the folded state is made easy. Incidentally, the table 56 is also designed to be detachable.

[0035] The folding booth 10 of this embodiment is equipped with a stopper mechanism (fixing mechanism) 60 that fixes the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14 when folded. The stopper mechanism 60 has a first lever 62 provided on the left side and a second lever 63 provided on the right side. As shown in Figure 8, the first lever 62 is provided so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction on the left side end of the front wall 12, that is, on the left side of the left front pillar 24L. The first lever 62 is designed to engage with the rear wall 14. Specifically, the first lever 62 has a notch 62a formed at its tip, and this notch 62a engages with a first projection 64, which is a stepped bolt fixed to the left rear pillar 34L, thereby fixing the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14. In this embodiment, there are two of these first levers 62 and first projections 64, spaced apart in the vertical direction.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the second lever 63 is rotatably mounted on the right side end of the rear wall 14, that is, on the right side of the right rear pillar 34R, so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the left-right direction. The second lever 63 is designed to engage with the front wall 12. Specifically, the second lever 63 has a first notch 63a formed at its tip, and this first notch 63a engages with a second projection 65, which is a stepped bolt fixed to the right front pillar 24R, thereby fixing the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14. In this embodiment, two of these second levers 63 and second projections 65 are provided, spaced apart in the vertical direction. Incidentally, the second lever 63 has a second notch 63b formed on the side opposite to the side where the first notch 63a is formed, and located closer to the tip than the first notch 63a. The function of this second notch 63b will not be explained here.

[0037] In the folding booth 10 of this embodiment, the front wall 12 is supported by casters 27L, 27R, and the rear wall 14 is supported by casters 37L, 37R. By releasing the lock on either the casters 27L, 27R of the front wall 12 or the casters 37L, 37R of the rear wall 14, allowing them to roll, the folding booth 10 can be easily transformed between an unfolded state and a folded state. Specifically, in the folding booth 10 of this embodiment, the upper side panels 48 of the pair of side walls 18L, 18R are first folded inward, and then, for example, the lock on the casters 27L, 27R of the front wall 12 is released, and the front wall 12 is moved toward the rear wall 14, thereby transforming from an unfolded state to a folded state. Conversely, to transform from a folded state to an unfolded state, for example, the casters 27L and 27R on the front wall 12 are unlocked, the front wall 12 is moved away from the rear wall 14, and then the upper side panels 48 of the pair of side walls 18L and 18R are opened. In this embodiment, the folding booth 10 can be easily moved in both the unfolded and folded states by unlocking both the casters 27L and 27R on the front wall 12 or the casters 37L and 37R on the rear wall 14.

[0038] The folding booth 10 is to be held by the user when it is being transformed or moved, and the gripping parts are formed on a pair of front pillars 24L, 24R and a pair of rear pillars 34L, 34R. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the pair of front pillars 24L, 24R and the pair of rear pillars 34L, 34R are cylindrical with a generally fan-shaped cross-section. A groove 70 extending in the vertical direction is formed in the arc-shaped portion of the pair of front pillars 24L, 24R and the pair of rear pillars 34L, 34R. The internal width of the groove 70 is larger than the width of the opening. In other words, the opening edges of the groove 70 have a shape with protrusions 72, 73 extending toward the opposite sides. The protrusions 72 on the pair of front pillars 24L and 24R are used when the user grips from the front, the protrusions 72 on the pair of rear pillars 34L and 34R are used when the user grips from the rear, and the protrusions 73 on the four pillars 24L, 24R, 34L, and 34R are used when the user grips from the side. In this way, there are no gripping parts that protrude from each pillar 24L, 24R, 34L, and 34R, resulting in a clean design and preventing damage from contact with the gripping parts during movement or transport, as well as preventing contact with the gripping parts when people pass near the folding booth 10.

[0039] <Barrier-free design> Furthermore, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment is designed to be barrier-free. Its configuration will be explained with reference to Figures 10 to 15. As mentioned above, the front wall 12 is mainly composed of a door 20 and a door frame 22 that forms the frame of the door 20. Normally, as shown in Figure 10, the sill portion 26 of the door frame 22 connects the lower ends of the front pillars 24L and 24R, resulting in a step at the entrance 12a.

[0040] As shown in Figure 11, the sill portion 26 is rotatably attached at one end (the right end) to the inner surface of the right front pillar 24R by a hinge 76. In other words, as shown in Figure 12, the sill portion 26 can be raised along the right front pillar 24R. As shown in Figure 13, a sill stopper 77 made of a leaf spring is provided at the lower end of the left front pillar 24L, and this sill stopper 77 engages with the other end (the left end) of the sill portion 26 from above, restricting rotation and maintaining the state in which the lower ends of the front pillars 24L and 24R are connected. By pushing in this sill stopper 77, the engagement of the sill portion 26 is released, and rotation is permitted. In addition, a sill stopper 78 is provided on the right front pillar 24R to engage with the raised sill portion 26. As shown in Figure 14, the sill stopper 78 is a hook-shaped member rotatably attached to the right front pillar 24R, and contacts the other end (tip) of the sill portion 26 from above, locking the sill portion 26 in place. Incidentally, this sill stopper 78 may lock the sill portion 26 by its own weight or magnetic force, or it may physically engage to stop it. Furthermore, the sill portion 26 is located on the side of the hinge 28, which is the pivot axis of the door 20, and is positioned on the rear side of the door 20 when it is in the upright position and in the open position. Therefore, the upright sill portion 26 does not get in the way when a wheelchair is entering or exiting.

[0041] With this configuration, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment can eliminate the step at the entrance 12a by raising the sill portion 26 when unfolded, thus enabling barrier-free access.

[0042] <Booth connection structure> The folding booth 10 of this embodiment can be used by connecting two units together. The two folding booths 10A and 10B shown in Figures 15 and 16 have the same configuration as the folding booth 10 described above, and can be connected when unfolded. More specifically, the two folding booths 10A and 10B can be connected with their respective back walls 14 facing each other, allowing them to be used with their internal spaces connected.

[0043] The two folding booths 10A and 10B are configured to be fixed in a state where their rear walls 14 are abutted against each other. More specifically, as shown in Figure 15, the second lever 63 of the front folding booth 10A is capable of engaging with the rear wall 14 of the rear folding booth 10B, and as shown in Figure 17, the second lever 63 of the rear folding booth 10B is capable of engaging with the rear wall 14 of the front folding booth 10B. More specifically, the second lever 63 provided on the left rear pillar 34L is designed to engage with a first projection 64 provided on the right rear pillar 34R of the adjacent folding booth at the second notch 63b. In other words, in this embodiment, the second lever 63 constituting the stopper mechanism 60 is configured to engage with the front wall 12 in the folded state and with the rear wall 14 of the adjacent folding booth in the booth-connected state. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second lever 63 and the first projection 64 that constitute the stopper mechanism 60 can be considered to constitute a booth connecting mechanism that fixes the two folding booths 10 in a connected state.

[0044] As mentioned above, the table 56 is detachable and can be positioned between the pair of rear pillars 34L and 34R, as shown in Figure 16, in addition to being positioned between the right rear pillar 34R and the right front pillar 24R as shown in Figure 4. By arranging the tables 56 of the two folding booths 10A and 10B as shown in Figure 16, a face-to-face space is formed inside the two folding booths 10A and 10B.

[0045] In this embodiment, the folding booth 10 has a removable closing plate 32 on the back wall 14. By removing the closing plates 32 from the two folding booths 10A and 10B, the internal spaces can be connected, as shown in Figure 16. The structure of the closing plate 32, which was reserved for later explanation, will now be described in detail below, with reference to Figures 18-21.

[0046] As shown in Figure 2, the closing plate 32 is divided into three sections vertically, and three identical rear panels (panel members) 80 are detachably attached to the frame 30. The rear panel 80 comprises a rectangular panel body 81 that is long horizontally, and a pair of guide members 82 and a pair of latches 83 arranged on both sides of the panel body 81 in the horizontal direction. As shown in Figure 18, the guide members 82 are attached to the lower end of the side surface of the panel body 81 and have generally semicircular notches that open downwards. The latches 83 are provided on the upper side of the side surface of the panel body 81.

[0047] On the other hand, each of the pair of rear pillars 34L and 34R that make up the frame 30 is provided with three sets of cylindrical boss members 85, which engage with a pair of guide members 82, and a pair of latch receivers 86, which engage with a pair of latches 83, on each of the opposing surfaces, spaced apart in the vertical direction to correspond to the three rear panels 80 (only a portion is shown in Figures 19 and 21). With this configuration, when removing the rear panel 80, as shown in Figure 19, the engagement of the pair of latches 83 with the latch receivers 86 is released, and the upper side of the rear panel 80 is tilted inward (towards the front wall 12) with respect to the pair of boss members 85. Then, by pulling the rear panel 80 inward, the pair of guide members 82 are detached from the pair of boss members 85, and the removal of the rear panel 80 is completed. On the other hand, when installing the rear panel 80, the upper side of the rear panel 80 is tilted inward, the pair of guide members 82 are engaged with the pair of boss members 85, and while raising the upper side of the rear panel 80, the pair of latches 83 are engaged with the pair of latch receivers 86 to complete the installation of the rear panel 80.

[0048] Incidentally, as shown in Figure 20, flanges 88 are formed on the outer (rear) side of the boss member 85 and latch receiver 86 on the vertically extending portions of the opening edge 30a of the frame 30, projecting inward towards the opening 30a. These flanges 88 prevent the rear panel 80 from falling outside the frame 30, and facilitate the installation of the rear panel 80, more specifically, the operation of engaging the pair of guide members 82 with the pair of boss members 85.

[0049] After connecting the two folding booths 10A and 10B, the rear panels 80 removed from each folding booth 10A and 10B can be installed inside each folding booth 10A and 10B. The rear panel mounting section (closing plate mounting section) 90 for attaching the rear panel 80 is provided between the left front pillar 24L and the left rear pillar 34L, as shown in Figure 21 (partially shown in Figure 19). In plan view, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment is generally square in shape, and the distance between the left front pillar 24L and the left rear pillar 34L is slightly larger than the longitudinal dimension of the rear panel 80. On the opposing surfaces of the left front pillar 24L and the left rear pillar 34L, three sets of cylindrical boss members 91, into which the guide member 82 of the rear panel 80 engages, and recesses (latch receivers) 92, into which the latch 83 of the rear panel 80 engages, are provided, corresponding to the three rear panels 80, arranged in the inward-outward direction (left-right direction). As a result, even when the internal spaces of the two folding booths 10A and 10B are connected, the three removed rear panels 80 can be stored inside, as shown in Figure 16, thus reducing the effort required for connecting and disconnecting compared to storing them outside.

[0050] Furthermore, since the folding booth 10 of this embodiment has a detachable rear panel 80, it can be used in the following way even when used alone. For example, by preparing a panel-shaped member that is the same size as the rear panel 80 and has the same detachable structure (in this embodiment, a pair of guide members 82 and a pair of latches 83), and which integrates equipment such as windows and displays, at least a part of the rear panel 80 can be replaced, and a part of the rear wall 14 can be easily changed to a window or display.

[0051] Furthermore, in the case of a disaster, for example, if it becomes impossible to open the door 20, specifically if a heavy object is present outside the door 20 and the door 20 cannot be opened, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment allows the rear panel 80 to be removed from the inside, and the opening 30a in the rear wall 14 can be secured as an exit.

[0052] In this embodiment, the folding booth 10 is constructed primarily of aluminum alloy components for its front wall 12, rear wall 14, top wall 16, and a pair of side walls 18L and 18R. As a result, it has approximately five times the thermal conductivity compared to a booth made of steel or the like. In other words, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment can conduct the temperature adjusted to a suitable temperature by the air conditioning in the room in which it is installed, improving the comfort of the user inside the folding booth 10, and also reducing the frequency of use of indoor air conditioning equipment such as simple coolers, thereby contributing to energy saving. Furthermore, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment weighs approximately one-third as much as a booth made of steel or the like, resulting in a lighter design that is easier to move and transport. In addition, by primarily using aluminum alloy components, the folding booth 10 of this embodiment minimizes the use of resins and the like, promoting recent efforts to reduce waste plastics and improving recyclability.

[0053] <Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. For example, the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the opening 30a in the rear wall 14 was relatively large, extending from near the lower end to near the upper end of the rear wall 14, but its size is not particularly limited. For example, the opening may extend to the lower end of the rear wall, or it may be the size of a window (the size of one rear panel in this embodiment). Note that if the opening 30a is large enough to extend to the lower end of the rear wall, it is superior from the standpoint of barrier-free design.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the closing plate 32 was divided into three sections in the vertical direction, but it is not limited to that. For example, it may be divided into vertical, horizontal, and vertical sections, or it may not be divided at all and may be a single piece.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the booth connecting mechanism for linking two folding booths utilized a stopper mechanism 60 as a fixing mechanism to secure the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14 in the folded state, but these may be provided separately. However, if the booth connecting mechanism and the fixing mechanism are combined, as in this embodiment, the number of parts can be reduced and costs can be lowered.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the fixing mechanism and the booth connecting mechanism utilized rotating levers, but are not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which extendable and retractable members are used to connect and fix each other can also be adopted.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the component was mainly made of an aluminum alloy, but it is not limited to that and can be made of various materials. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 10…Folding booth, 12…Front wall, 12a…Entrance, 14…Rear wall, 16…Top wall, 18L, 18R…Pair of side walls, 20…Door, 22…Door frame, 24L…Left front pillar, 24R…Right front pillar, 26…Sill, 30…Frame (main body), 30a…Opening, 32…Closing plate, 34L…Left rear pillar, 34R…Right rear pillar, 60…Stopper (fixing mechanism), 63…Second lever (booth connection mechanism), 64…First projection (booth connection mechanism), 80…Rear panel (panel component), 90…Rear panel mounting part (closing plate mounting part)

Claims

1. A front wall with an entrance and exit, The rear wall opposite the aforementioned front wall, The top wall deforms between an extended state in which it is extended to form a flat plate and connects the upper end of the front wall and the upper end of the rear wall, and a stored state in which it is folded and stored between the front wall and the rear wall, A pair of side walls that deform between an extended state in which they are extended to form a flat plate and connect the side ends of the front wall and the side ends of the rear wall, and a stored state in which they are folded and stored between the front wall and the rear wall, It is configured to be transformable between an unfolded state in which the top wall and the pair of side walls are extended to form a space inside, and a folded state in which the top wall and the pair of side walls are folded in a stored state. The rear wall includes a main body to which the top wall and a pair of the side walls are connected, and a closing plate that closes an opening formed in the main body, wherein the closing plate is detachable from the main body, in a foldable booth.

2. The folding booth according to claim 1, further comprising a booth connecting mechanism for connecting to an adjacent folding booth when the back walls of two of the folding booths in the unfolded state are brought together to form a booth-connected state.

3. In the folded state, the device is equipped with a fixing mechanism for fixing the front wall and the rear wall. The folding booth according to claim 2, wherein the fixing mechanism can be fixed between the rear wall of an adjacent folding booth when the booths are connected, and also functions as the booth connecting mechanism.

4. The fixing mechanism has a lever rotatably provided at the side end of the rear wall, The folding booth according to claim 3, wherein the lever engages with the front wall in the folded state and engages with the rear wall of the adjacent folding booth in the booth-connected state.

5. The folding booth according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a closing plate mounting portion that allows the closing plate to be attached to the inside of the folding booth in the unfolded state.

6. The folding booth according to claim 5, wherein the closing plate mounting portion is provided between the inner surface of the front wall and the inner surface of the rear wall and is mountable along the inner surface of the side wall.

7. The folding booth according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the closing plate consists of two or more panel members divided in the vertical direction.

8. The folding booth according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the front wall, the rear wall, the top wall, and the pair of side walls are mainly constructed from aluminum alloy members.

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