Folding Booth

Abstract

To provide a foldable booth in which easiness of folding and easiness of mobility are improved.SOLUTION: A foldable booth 11 comprises: a front surface wall 12 in a flat shape; a rear surface wall 13 in a flat shape opposite to the front surface wall 12; a top wall 14 connecting the front surface wall 12 and the rear surface wall 13; a pair of side surface walls 15 connecting the front surface wall 12 and the rear surface wall 13; a pair of first casters 16 supporting the front surface wall 12; a pair of second casters 17 supporting the rear surface wall; and a holding mechanism 18 holding a first wall part 44 of the top wall 14 in a generally horizontal state before / after folding thereof. The foldable booth further comprises: a top wall rotatable between a deployed first position and a folded second position; a first pivot provided in the first wall part; a second pivot provided in the first wall part apart from the first pivot in a generally horizontal direction; a first end part through which the first pivot is penetrated; a second end part connected to the second wall part; a first arm rotatable around the first pivot as a center; a third end part into which the second pivot is penetrated; and a fourth end part connected to the third wall part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a collapsible booth. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, a booth for people to enter and perform work is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This booth has a sound-passing area R in a part of a partition wall, and a shielding cover that can adjust the opening ratio of the heat-passing area R. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-200628 A DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Once installed, such stationary booths are not easy to remove. If one were to attempt to remove them, there would be a problem that the removal would require time and manpower. On the other hand, there was a need for such existing booths to be easily folded and stored compactly, or to be easily relocated to another location, depending on changing needs. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a folding booth which is easier to fold and has improved stability during folding. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The above problems are solved by the present invention. That is, the folding booth of the present invention (1) is as follows: A front wall supported by the first caster; A rear wall supported by the second caster and facing the front wall; a top wall connecting the front wall and the rear wall, the top wall having a first wall portion located in a central portion, a second wall portion connecting the front wall and the first wall portion, and a third wall portion connecting the rear wall and the first wall portion, the top wall being rotatable between an extended first position and a folded second position in which the second wall portion and the third wall portion face each other; A first pivot provided on the first wall portion; A second pivot provided on the first wall portion and spaced apart from the first pivot in a substantially horizontal direction; a first arm having a first end through which the first pivot passes and a second end connected to the second wall portion and rotatable around the first pivot; a second arm having a third end through which the second pivot passes and a fourth end connected to the third wall portion and rotatable around the second pivot; a first gear portion provided integrally with the first end portion; a second gear portion provided integrally with the third end portion and meshing with the first gear portion; Equipped with.

[0006] The folding booth of the present invention (2) is the folding booth according to (1), The first pivot and the second pivot are provided at positions sandwiched between the second wall portion and the third wall portion of the top wall in the second position.

[0007] The folding booth of the present invention (3) is the folding booth according to (1), A first pin provided at the second end; a first long hole provided in the second wall portion and through which the first pin is inserted; A second pin provided at the fourth end; a second long hole provided in the third wall portion and through which the second pin is inserted; Equipped with.

[0008] The folding booth of the present invention (4) is the folding booth according to (1), Each of the first arm and the second arm is curved so as to be convex in a direction away from the top wall.

[0009] The folding booth of the present invention (5) is the folding booth according to (1), An actuator is provided between at least one of the front wall and the rear wall and the top wall, and the top wall can be rotated between the first position and the second position by driving the actuator. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, a folding booth that is easier to fold and move can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a folding booth according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the folding booth shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the folding booth shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the folding booth shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the folding booth shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the folding booth shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the folding booth shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a connecting portion (first hinge portion) of the top wall of the folding booth shown in FIG. 6, showing a state in which the top wall is in a first position. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view of the first hinge portion shown in FIG. 8 with the top wall in a second position. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing the buffer section of the folding booth shown in FIG. [Figure 11]FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a holding mechanism of the folding booth shown in FIG. [Figure 12] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the holding mechanism of the folding booth shown in FIG. 1, the folding booth being cut along a plane passing through a first frame. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view of the holding mechanism shown in FIG. 12 when the top wall of the folding booth is in the middle of moving from a first position to a second position. FIG. [Figure 14] 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the holding mechanism shown in FIG. 12 when the top wall of the folding booth has been moved to the second position. FIG. [Figure 15] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the top wall of the folding booth shown in FIG. 1 is in the middle of moving from a first position to a second position. [Figure 16] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the top wall of the folding booth shown in FIG. 1 has been completely moved to a second position. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along the longitudinal direction of the folding booth shown in FIG. 16. [Figure 18] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lateral direction of the folding booth shown in FIG. 16. [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a folding booth of a second embodiment, the folding booth being cut along a plane passing through a first frame, showing a first actuator and a second actuator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the folding booth of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The folding booth of the present invention is mainly installed indoors such as in an office, and users can enter the booth to hold web conferences and the like. [First embodiment]

[0013] The folding booth 11 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The folding booth 11 of the present invention is a hollow box-like structure having a space inside where a person can enter. As shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the folding booth 11 of the first embodiment has a flat front wall 12, a flat rear wall 13 facing the front wall 12, a top wall 14 connecting the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13, a pair of side walls 15 connecting the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13, a pair of first casters 16 supporting the front wall 12, a pair of second casters 17 supporting the rear wall 13, and a holding mechanism 18 for holding a first wall portion 44 of the top wall 14, which will be described later, in a substantially horizontal state before and after folding. Each of the front wall 12, the rear wall 13, the top wall 14, and the pair of side walls 15 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy, and is formed of an extruded material of the aluminum alloy. The pair of first casters 16 and the pair of second casters 17 can be switched between a non-rotatable state and a rotatable state by activating a stopper. In the following description, as shown in FIG. 1, the width direction of the front wall 12 is W, the direction in which the side wall 15 extends is FR, and the height direction (vertical direction, up-down direction) is H.

[0014] 2, the front wall 12 has a door 21, an observation window 10 provided next to the door 21, and a pair of handholds 22 provided on both left and right sides (both ends in the width direction W of the folding booth 11 in FIG. 1) on its outer surface with the door 21 in between. The handholds 22 are portions on which an operator places his or her hands when opening, closing, or moving the folding booth 11.

[0015] The door 21 has a frame 24 formed of, for example, an aluminum alloy, a glass plate 25 fitted inside the frame 24, and a knob (door lever) 26. The door 21 can be opened and closed, allowing a user to enter and exit the folding booth 11.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the rear wall 13 is formed flat. The rear wall 13 has holes for a power source, air supply, etc. The rear wall 13 has a pair of handles 22 on both the left and right sides (both ends in the width direction W of the booth) on its outer surface. The structure and arrangement of the handles 22 are the same as those of the handles 22 on the front wall 12. In this embodiment, the handles 22 are provided on the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13, and the handles 22, etc. are not provided on the side wall 15. Therefore, even when the side walls 15 are brought close to each other so that two folding booths 11 are adjacent to each other, the handles 22 do not interfere with each other, and the folding booths 11 can be arranged side by side in a concentrated manner. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the limited space in the office.

[0017] 2 and 3, the rear wall 13 has, on its inner surface, an operation unit 27 provided in a horizontal band shape in the vertical center, and a table 28 rotatably attached below the operation unit 27. The folding booth 11 further has a functional panel 32 (second sound absorbing panel 32) that covers the rear wall 13 above the operation unit 27. The rear wall 13 is not covered by the second sound absorbing panel 32 below the operation unit 27, ensuring sufficient thermal conductivity in this portion. The table 28 can rotate between a usage state in which it extends horizontally and a folded state in which it is folded vertically. In the present invention, the functional panel is not limited to a sound-absorbing panel, but may be any panel that can add some function to the booth 11, and the function may be a panel with various known functions such as sound absorption, heat insulation, fire resistance, improving internal brightness, humidity (moisture absorption), decoration (wood grain, etc.), deodorization, antibacterial, scenting, etc., or a panel that is provided for the purpose of reinforcing the booth with the same material as the front wall 12, rear wall 13, side walls 15, and top wall 14, and known panel materials can be used depending on the purpose of use.

[0018] The second sound-absorbing panel 32 is made of a general sound-absorbing panel having a porous (sponge-like) internal structure, and is detachably fixed to the rear wall 13 by adhesion or magnets. When the second sound-absorbing panel 32 is fixed using magnets, this can be achieved, for example, by fixing either an iron plate (steel plate) or a magnetic plate to the rear wall 13, and fixing the other of the iron plate (steel plate) or the magnetic plate to the second sound-absorbing panel 32.

[0019] The operation unit 27 has an outlet 33 for power, a switch 35 for turning the lights on and off, a socket 36 for inserting a LAN cable for connecting to an in-house LAN or the like, and an air intake 37 for taking in air from outside the booth.

[0020] 6 and 7, the folding booth 11 further has a handle 41, lighting 34, a ventilation fan 42, and a fire extinguishing system 43. The handle 41, lighting 34, and ventilation fan 42 are collectively provided on the inner surface of a first wall portion 44 (described later) of the top wall 14. As shown in FIG. 1, the fire extinguishing system 43 and a screen wall 45 surrounding the fire extinguishing system 43 are provided on the outer surface (upper side) of the first wall portion 44.

[0021] The top wall 14 can be rotated between a first position P1 in which it is extended as shown in FIG. 1 and a second position P2 in which it is folded inward at a position between the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 as shown in FIG. 14 and the like. As shown in FIG. 11, the top wall 14 has a first wall portion 44 located in the center in the front-rear direction FR, a second wall portion 46 connecting the front wall 12 and the first wall portion 44, and a third wall portion 47 connecting the rear wall 13 and the first wall portion 44. In the second position P2, the top wall 14 can be folded so that the second wall portion 46 and the third wall portion 47 face each other. As shown in FIG. 10, the folding booth 11 further has a first functional panel 51 (first sound-absorbing panel 51) covering at least a part of the top wall 14. Here, the meaning of the functional panel is the same as above.

[0022] The first sound absorbing panel 51 has a first sound absorbing panel piece 51A covering at least a part of the second wall portion 46, and a second sound absorbing panel piece 51B covering at least a part of the third wall portion 47. The structures of the first sound absorbing panel piece 51A and the second sound absorbing panel piece 51B are similar to those of the second sound absorbing panel 32. The method of fixing the first sound absorbing panel piece 51A to the second wall portion 46 and the method of fixing the second sound absorbing panel piece 51B to the third wall portion 47 are similar to the method of fixing the second sound absorbing panel 32 to the rear wall 13, and the first sound absorbing panel piece 51A and the second sound absorbing panel piece 51B are detachably fixed by adhesion or magnets.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, the top wall 14 has a plurality of first hinge portions 52 and a plurality of second hinge portions 53. One of the first hinge portions 52 rotatably connects the first wall portion 44 and the second wall portion 46 to each other. The other of the first hinge portions 52 rotatably connects the first wall portion 44 and the third wall portion 47 to each other. One of the second hinge portions 53 rotatably connects the second wall portion 46 and the front wall 12 to each other. The other of the second hinge portions 53 rotatably connects the third wall portion 47 and the rear wall 13 to each other. Each of the first hinge portion 52 and the second hinge portion 53 is configured as a geared hinge. Since the first hinge portion 52 and the second hinge portion 53 have the same configuration, only the first hinge portion 52 will be described below.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 8, each of the first hinge parts 52 includes a first gear 54, a first mounting part 55 attached to the first gear 54, a first shaft part 56 rotatably supporting the first gear 54, a second gear 57 meshing with the first gear 54, a second mounting part 58 attached to the second gear 57, a second shaft part 61 rotatably supporting the second gear 57, and a cover 62 covering the first gear 54 and the second gear 57. The cover 62 is formed to have a C-shaped cross section (box-shaped), and is provided integrally with the first shaft part 56 and the second shaft part 61. The first mounting part 55 is fixed to the first wall part 44. The second mounting part 58 is fixed to the second wall part 46 (third wall part 47). On the other hand, the first mounting portion 55 of the second hinge portion 53 is fixed to the second wall portion 46 (the third wall portion 47), and the second mounting portion 58 of the second hinge portion 53 is fixed to the front wall 12 (the rear wall 13). Each member of the first hinge portion 52 is made of, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy material.

[0025] In this way, by configuring the first hinge portion 52 and the second hinge portion 53 as geared hinges, the first mounting portion 55 and the second mounting portion 58 are folded (their rotation angles) in synchronization. This prevents the shape of the top wall 14 from becoming unstable when the top wall 14 is folded, and the left-right, front-back, and operating shapes of the top wall 14 of the entire folding booth 11 are stable throughout, so that the folding booth 11 can be opened and closed smoothly. In addition, in the present invention, the hinges used are not limited to those with gears, and in this embodiment, since the folding of the top wall 14 can be balanced and stable by the holding mechanism 18 described later, normal hinges without gears may be used instead of the first hinge portion 52 and the second hinge portion 53 having built-in gears. By using such hinges, the manufacturing of the entire booth can be simplified and costs can be reduced.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 10, the folding booth 11 further includes a first buffer section 63 interposed between the front wall 12 and the second wall section 46, and a second buffer section 64 interposed between the rear wall 13 and the third wall section 47. Each of the first buffer section 63 and the second buffer section 64 is configured with a general oil damper. The first buffer section 63 can suppress the bias of the second wall section 46 against the front wall 12 when folding the folding booth 11, and can prevent the second wall section 46 from approaching forcefully. The second buffer section 64 can suppress the bias of the third wall section 47 against the rear wall 13 when folding the folding booth 11, and can prevent the third wall section 47 from approaching forcefully.

[0027] The side walls 15 have the same configuration. Therefore, only one of the pair of side walls 15 will be described here. The side wall 15 is rotatable between a third position P3 in which it is extended as shown in FIG. 1 and a fourth position P4 in which it is folded inward as shown in FIG. 18. As shown in FIG. 1, the side wall 15 has a flat frame portion 65 that extends vertically and is fixed to the front wall 12 or the rear wall 13, a first panel 66, a second panel 67, a third hinge portion 68 that rotatably connects the first panel 66 and the second panel 67 to each other, a fourth hinge portion 71 that rotatably connects either the first panel 66 or the second panel 67 to the frame portion 65, an opening portion 72 provided at the top, and a third panel 73 that is detachably provided to close the opening portion 72. The third panel 73 is configured in a flat plate shape and supports the top wall 14, can hold the top wall 14 in a fixed position, and can also serve as a stopper to prevent the fire extinguishing equipment 43, etc. from falling downward due to their own weight.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 10, the folding booth 11 has a third functional panel 74 (third sound absorbing panel 74) that covers approximately the upper half of the first panel 66 and approximately the upper half of the second panel 67. The side wall 15 is not covered by the third sound absorbing panel 74 at its lower position, and sufficient thermal conductivity is ensured in this portion by taking advantage of the properties of the aluminum alloy. The meaning of the functional panel is the same as above.

[0029] The third sound absorbing panel 74 is divided into a first portion 74A corresponding to the first panel 66 and a second portion 74B corresponding to the second panel 67. The first portion 74A is fixed to the first panel 66 in the same manner as the first sound absorbing panel 51. The second portion 74B is fixed to the second panel 67 in the same manner as the first sound absorbing panel 51.

[0030] Each of the third hinge portion 68 and the fourth hinge portion 71 is configured with a geared hinge and has the same configuration as the first hinge portion 52. That is, the gears of the third hinge portion 68 and the fourth hinge portion 71 are the same as the gear of the first hinge portion 52 in the number of teeth and diameter. For this reason, the same names are used for the description. In the third hinge portion 68, the first mounting portion 55 is fixed to the first panel 66. In the third hinge portion 68, the second mounting portion 58 is fixed to the second panel 67. On the other hand, in the fourth hinge portion 71, the first mounting portion 55 is fixed to the frame portion 65. In the fourth hinge portion 71, the second mounting portion 58 is fixed to the first panel 66 or the second panel 67.

[0031] In this way, by configuring the third hinge portion 68 and the fourth hinge portion 71 provided on each of the pair of side walls 15 as a geared hinge, the pair of side walls 15 are folded (rotation angle) in synchronization. In addition, the folding of the pair of side walls 15 (their rotation angle) is also performed in synchronization with the folding of the first to third wall portions 47 of the top wall 14 (their rotation angle). This prevents the shape of the side walls 15 from becoming irregular and unstable when the side walls 15 are folded. Therefore, the operating shape of the entire folding booth 11 in the left and right, front and rear, and the top wall 14 is stable throughout, so that the folding booth 11 can be opened and closed more smoothly. In this embodiment, since the holding mechanism 18 enables the top wall 14 to be folded stably, the side wall 15 is also folded stably, and costs can be reduced by using normal hinges that do not use gears instead of the third hinge portion 68 and the fourth hinge portion 71 that incorporate gears.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, the opening 72 is formed as a rectangular through hole, and is formed to a height occupying about 1 / 4 of the height of the side wall 15. The third panel 73 is composed of a rectangular plate-shaped panel. As shown in FIG. 10, the folding booth 11 has a fourth sound absorbing panel 76 fixed to the third panel 73. The side wall 15 further has a fixing member for fixing the third panel 73 to the top wall 14. In this embodiment, the fixing member is composed of a screw. Note that the configuration of the fixing member is not limited to this as long as it fixes the third panel 73. The fixing member may be composed of a part (push latch) whose shaft portion can be protruded or retracted to return to its original position by pressing a switch.

[0033] The folding booth 11 has a pair of restricting tools 81 detachably attached to the bottoms of the inner surfaces of the pair of side walls 15. The restricting tools 81 are formed in a flat plate shape from, for example, an aluminum alloy. As shown in FIG. 16, the restricting tools 81 have a through hole 81B. Although not shown, the restricting tools 81, when engaged with the inner surfaces of the bottoms of the side walls 15, can restrict the pair of side walls 15 from moving from a third position P3 in which they are extended to a fourth position P4 in which they are folded inward.

[0034] 16, in the folding booth 11 in the folded state, the restricting tool 81 can engage with the outer surface of the side wall 15 (frame portion 65) by passing a protrusion 82 provided on the outer surface of the frame portion 65 through the through hole 81B. The restricting tool 81 serves as a connecting tool that connects the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 in a state where it is engaged with the outer surface of the side wall 15, and can prevent the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13, which are close to each other in the folded state, from being separated during movement.

[0035] The holding mechanism 18 is provided on the upper surface (outside) of the top wall 14, in a position close to one of the side walls 15. As shown in FIG. 11, the first wall portion 44 of the top wall 14 includes a first frame 44A having a U-shaped cross section, which is provided integrally with the main body of the first wall portion 44. As shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, the holding mechanism 18 has a first pivot 91 provided on the first wall portion 44 via the first frame 44A, a second pivot 92 provided on the first wall portion 44 via the first frame 44A, a first arm 93 rotatable with respect to the first pivot 91 via a first end portion 93A, a second arm 94 rotatable with respect to the second pivot 92 via a third end portion 94A, a first gear portion 95 provided integrally with the first end portion 93A, and a second gear portion 96 provided integrally with the third end portion 94A.

[0036] The first frame 44A has a generally concave cross-sectional shape and has a pair of upright sides protruding from the first wall portion 44. The first pivot 91 and the second pivot 92 are fixed to the pair of upright sides so as to penetrate them. The second pivot 92 is provided in a position parallel to the first pivot 91. The second pivot 92 is provided spaced apart from the first pivot 91 in a generally horizontal direction. The first pivot 91 and the second pivot 92 are provided at a central end position of the first wall portion 44 that is sandwiched between the second wall portion 46 and the third wall portion 47 of the top wall 14 at the second position P2.

[0037] The first arm 93 has a first arm body 93C, a first end 93A through which the first pivot 91 passes, a second end 93B connected to the second wall portion 46, and a first pin 97 provided at the second end 93B. The first arm body 93C is rod-shaped and curved so as to be convex in a direction away from the top wall 14. The first arm body 93C is curved so as to bypass the first hinge portion 52. The first arm 93 is rotatable about the first pivot 91. A first gear portion 95 is provided integrally with the first end 93A by welding or the like.

[0038] The second wall portion 46 of the top wall 14 has a second frame 46A with an L-shaped cross section that is integral with the main body of the second wall portion 46. The second frame 46A has a first long hole 101 that extends in a substantially horizontal direction parallel to the main body of the second wall portion 46. The second end portion 93B is provided on the opposite side to the first end portion 93A. The first pin 97 is passed through the inside of the first long hole 101.

[0039] The second arm 94 has a second arm body 94C, a third end 94A through which the second pivot 92 passes, a fourth end 94B connected to the third wall portion 47, and a second pin 98 provided at the fourth end 94B. The second arm body 94C is rod-shaped and curved so as to be convex in a direction away from the top wall 14. The second arm body 94C is curved so as to bypass the first hinge portion 52. The second arm 94 is rotatable about the second pivot 92. A second gear portion 96 is integrally provided to the third end 94A by welding or the like. The second gear portion 96 is formed of a gear having the same diameter as the first gear portion 95, and is configured to mesh with the first gear portion 95.

[0040] The third wall portion 47 of the top wall 14 has a third frame 47A with an L-shaped cross section that is integral with the main body of the third wall portion 47. The third frame 47A has a second elongated hole 102 that extends in a substantially horizontal direction parallel to the main body of the third wall portion 47. The fourth end portion 94B is provided on the opposite side to the third end portion 94A. The second pin 98 is passed through the inside of the second elongated hole 102.

[0041] Next, the folding operation from the open state to the closing state of the folding booth 11 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12 to Fig. 16. In the folding booth 11 of this embodiment, the folding operation can basically be easily completed by one worker.

[0042] Prior to folding, the worker lifts table 28 from the horizontal position in the usage state and moves it to the standing position. The fixing members of side walls 15 are removed to release the fixed state between top wall 14 and third panel 73. Then, third panel 73 is removed from opening 72.

[0043] The third panel 73 removed from the opening 72 at the top of the side wall 15 can be hung from a hook portion (not shown) provided at the bottom of the rear wall 13. Furthermore, the restricting devices 81 are removed from the bottom of the side wall 15. By removing the pair of restricting devices 81 from the pair of side walls 15, the side walls 15 can be moved from the extended third position P3 to the inwardly folded fourth position P4.

[0044] In this state, the worker opens the door 21, enters the folding booth 11, and pulls the handle 41 of the top wall 14 downward. As a result, as shown in Fig. 15, the first wall portion 44 of the top wall 14 is lowered downward by the action of the multiple first hinge portions 52, the second wall portion 46 is folded relative to the first wall portion 44, and the third wall portion 47 is folded relative to the first wall portion 44 (Note that, for convenience of drawing, the door 21 is shown in a closed state in Fig. 15, but the actual work is performed with the door 21 open). In addition, the second wall portion 46 is folded relative to the front wall 12 by the action of the second hinge portion 53, and the third wall portion 47 is folded relative to the rear wall 13. At that time, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the rotation of each wall section is synchronized by the action of first hinge section 52 and second hinge section 53, which are composed of geared hinges, and the rotation angles of each wall section are aligned to achieve balanced folding.

[0045] 11 to 14, the operation of the holding mechanism 18 which operates simultaneously with the folding of the top wall 14 and the side wall 15 will be described.

[0046] When the operator pulls the handle 41 downward, the top wall 14 moves from the first position P1 (initial position) to the second position P2 (folded position). At that time, as shown in Figs. 12 to 14, the first arm 93 and the second arm 94 rotate synchronously due to the action of the first gear portion 95 and the second gear portion 96. That is, during the opening and closing operation of the folding booth 11, the rotation angle of the first arm 93 from the initial position (a state in which the top wall 14 is at the first position P1) and the rotation angle of the second arm 94 from the initial position (a state in which the top wall 14 is at the first position P1) are always the same. In this way, the action of the holding mechanism 18 makes it possible to maintain the first wall portion 44 of the top wall 14 in a substantially horizontal state before, during, and after the folding of the folding booth 11. This ensures that the second wall portion 46 and the third wall portion 47 have the same inclination (angle) relative to the horizontal plane when folded, improving the posture of the top portion 14 and the side wall 15 when folded, making the folding and assembly operations smoother.

[0047] In this embodiment, the first buffer section 63 is provided between the front wall 12 and the second wall section 46, and the second buffer section 64 is provided between the rear wall 13 and the third wall section 47, so that even if an operator pulls the handle with a large force, the top wall 14 is prevented from being folded forcefully from the extended first position P1 to the folded second position P2. Therefore, no danger is posed to the operator working in the folding booth 11.

[0048] The front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 are supported by a first caster 16 and a second caster 17. Therefore, when the top wall 14 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 approach each other so that the distance between the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 is reduced by the action of the first caster 16 and the second caster 17 due to the folding of the top wall 14.

[0049] As the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 approach each other, the side wall 15 is also folded semi-automatically. That is, the first panel 66 and the second panel 67 are folded synchronously by the action of the third hinge portion 68 and the fourth hinge portion 71, and the first panel 66 and the second panel 67 are folded in a balanced manner with the rotation angles being the same.

[0050] When the worker finishes pulling the top wall 14 downward, the top wall 14 finishes moving from the first position P1 to the second position P2, and the side wall 15 finishes moving from the third position P3 to the fourth position P4, the folding booth 11 is in a completely folded state as shown in FIG. 16. In this state, as shown in FIG. 16, the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 can be connected and fixed so that they do not separate by passing the through hole 81B of the restricting tool 81 through the protrusion 82 on the outer surface side of the frame part 65 of the side wall 15. In this state, the worker can move the folding booth 11 to a desired location. At that time, when the top wall 14 is in the second position P2, the fire extinguishing equipment is positioned within the height range of the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13, so that the folding booth 11 becomes compact, and the risk of the fire extinguishing equipment interfering with the ceiling or beams of the building during the movement of the folding booth 11 can be prevented.

[0051] When the movement of the folding booth 11 is completed and the folding booth 11 is to be returned from the folded state to the opened state for use, the above-mentioned procedure is carried out in reverse.

[0052] According to the first embodiment, the following can be said. The folding booth 11 has a front wall 12 supported by a first caster 16, a rear wall 13 supported by a second caster 17 and facing the front wall 12, and a top wall 14 connecting the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13, the top wall 14 having a first wall portion 44 located in the center, a second wall portion 46 connecting the front wall 12 and the first wall portion 44, and a third wall portion 47 connecting the rear wall 13 and the first wall portion 44, and the top wall 14 is rotatable between a first position P1 in which it is extended and a second position P2 in which it is folded so that the second wall portion 46 and the third wall portion 47 face each other, a first pivot 91 provided on the first wall portion 44, and a second pivot 91 provided on the first wall portion 44. the first arm 93 having a first end 93A through which the first pivot 91 passes and a second end 93B connected to the second wall portion 46 and being rotatable around the first pivot 91; a second arm 94 having a third end 94A through which the second pivot 92 passes and a fourth end 94B connected to the third wall portion 47 and being rotatable around the second pivot 92; a first gear portion 95 provided integrally with the first end 93A; and a second gear portion 96 provided integrally with the third end 94A and meshing with the first gear portion 95.

[0053] According to this configuration, the first gear portion 95 and the second gear portion 96 mesh with each other, so that the first arm 93 and the second arm 94 rotate in a synchronized manner, thereby causing the second wall portion 46 and the third wall portion 47 to rotate in a synchronized manner. This allows the first wall portion 44 to be constantly raised and lowered in a substantially horizontal state when the top wall 14 is moved between the first position P1 and the second position P2. This allows the top wall 14 to be smoothly moved between the first position P1 and the second position P2, so that the geared hinge can be replaced with a normal hinge, and automatic opening and closing using a drive mechanism such as an actuator, which will be described later, can be stably and smoothly performed.

[0054] The first pivot 91 and the second pivot 92 are provided at positions sandwiched between the second wall portion 46 and the third wall portion 47 of the top wall 14 at the second position P2.

[0055] According to this configuration, when the top wall 14 is folded to the second position P2, the first pivot 91 and the second pivot 92 are not exposed, and it is possible to prevent them from getting in the way when the folding booth 11 is moved.

[0056] The folding booth 11 includes a first pin 97 provided at the second end 93B, a first long hole 101 provided in the second wall portion 46 through which the first pin 97 passes, a second pin 98 provided at the fourth end 94B, and a second long hole 102 provided in the third wall portion 47 through which the second pin 98 passes.

[0057] This configuration allows the top wall 14 to smoothly rotate between the first position P1 and the second position P2.

[0058] Each of the first arm 93 and the second arm 94 is curved so as to be convex in a direction away from the top wall 14. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the first arm 93 from interfering with the connecting structure between the first wall portion 44 and the second wall portion 46. Also, it is possible to prevent the second arm 94 from interfering with the connecting structure between the first wall portion 44 and the third wall portion 47.

[0059] In the following embodiment, differences from the above embodiment will be mainly described, and illustrations or descriptions of parts common to the above embodiment will be omitted. [Second embodiment]

[0060] With reference to FIG. 19, a folding booth 11 according to a second embodiment will be described.

[0061] In this embodiment, a first actuator 111 and a second actuator 112 are provided instead of the first buffer section 63 and the second buffer section 64. That is, the first actuator 111 is interposed between the front wall 12 and the second wall section 46. The second actuator 112 is interposed between the rear wall 13 and the third wall section 47.

[0062] The folding booth 11 further has a control panel 113 for controlling the extension or retraction of the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112. The control panel 113 is preferably attached to, for example, either the front wall 12 or the rear wall 13. The control panel 113 includes a power supply circuit 114 for supplying power to the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112, a control unit 115 for controlling the extension and retraction of the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112, an open switch 116 for instructing the extension of the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112, and a close switch 117 for instructing the retraction of the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112. The control unit 115 is composed of, for example, a one-chip microcomputer, a driver for directly controlling the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112, a control circuit in which these are implemented, and the like. The one-chip microcomputer has installed therein software for controlling the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112 to extend or retract in synchronization with each other.

[0063] Each of the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112 is configured with, for example, a pneumatic cylinder that can be extended or contracted in the axial direction. Note that the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112 are not limited to pneumatic cylinders, and may be hydraulic cylinders, motors, solenoids, or other actuators.

[0064] Next, the folding operation of the folding booth 11 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 19 etc. In the folding booth 11 of this embodiment, the folding operation and the assembly operation can be completed semi-automatically by driving the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112.

[0065] Prior to folding, the worker lifts table 28 from the horizontal position in the usage state and moves it to the standing position. The worker removes the fixing member of side wall 15 to release the fixed state between top wall 14 and third panel 73. Then, the worker removes third panel 73 from opening 72.

[0066] The third panel 73 removed from the opening 72 at the top of the side wall 15 can be hung from a hook portion (not shown) provided at the bottom of the rear wall 13. Furthermore, the worker removes the restricting devices 81 from the bottom of the side wall 15. By removing the pair of restricting devices 81 from the pair of side walls 15, the side walls 15 can be moved from the extended third position P3 to the inwardly folded fourth position P4.

[0067] In this state, the operator presses the close switch 117 of the control panel 113. As a result, the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112 are contracted, so that the first wall portion 44 of the top wall 14 moves downward, the second wall portion 46 is folded relative to the first wall portion 44, and the third wall portion 47 is folded relative to the first wall portion 44. In addition, the second wall portion 46 is folded relative to the front wall 12 and the third wall portion 47 is folded relative to the rear wall 13 by the action of the second hinge portion 53. At this time, as shown in Figs. 11 to 14, the action of the holding mechanism 18 and the action of the first hinge portion 52 and the second hinge portion 53, which are constituted by geared hinges, always make the rotation angle of the first arm 93 from the initial position (a state in which the top wall 14 is at the first position P1) and the rotation angle of the second arm 94 from the initial position (a state in which the top wall 14 is at the first position P1) the same as each other. In this way, the holding mechanism 18 acts to keep the first wall portion 44 of the top wall 14 in a substantially horizontal state before and after folding of the folding booth 11. This makes the inclination (angle) of the second wall portion 46 and the third wall portion 47 with respect to the horizontal plane the same when folded, improving the posture of the top portion 14 and the side wall 15 when folded, and facilitating the folding and assembly operations.

[0068] When the top wall 14 has completed moving from the first position P1 to the second position P2 and the side wall 15 has completed moving from the third position P3 to the fourth position P4, the folding booth 11 is in a completely folded state as shown in FIG. 16. In this state, as shown in FIG. 16, the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 can be connected and fixed so that they do not separate by passing the through hole 81B of the restricting tool 81 through the protrusion 82 on the outer surface side of the frame part 65 of the side wall 15. In this state, the worker can move the folding booth 11 to a desired location. At that time, since the fire extinguishing equipment is positioned within the height range of the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 when the top wall 14 is in the second position P2, the folding booth 11 becomes compact, and the risk of the fire extinguishing equipment interfering with the ceiling or beams of the building during the movement of the folding booth 11 can be prevented.

[0069] When the movement of the folding booth 11 is completed and the folding booth 11 is to be opened again from the folded state to the usable state, the above steps are reversed. That is, the restricting tool 81 is removed from the protrusion 82 on the outer surface side of the frame portion 65 of the face wall 15, and the worker presses the open switch 116 on the control panel. This causes the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112 to extend, the first wall portion 44 of the top wall 14 to rise upward, the second wall portion 46 to extend relative to the first wall portion 44, and the third wall portion 47 to extend relative to the first wall portion 44.

[0070] By the action of the first actuator 111 and the second actuator 112, the top wall 14 completes moving from the second position P2 to the first position P1, and the side wall 15 completes moving from the fourth position P4 to the third position P3. Furthermore, the worker attaches the restricting tool 81 to the bottom of the inner surface of the side wall 15. The worker attaches the third panel 73 to the opening 72. This completes the assembly of the folding booth 11.

[0071] According to this embodiment, the following can be said: The folding booth 11 includes an actuator interposed between at least one of the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 and the top wall 14, and the actuator is actuated to rotate the top wall 14 between a first position P1 and a second position P2.

[0072] According to this configuration, the top wall 14 can be automatically rotated between the first position P1 and the second position P2 by the driving force of the actuator without relying on human power, thereby realizing a user-friendly folding booth 11.

[0073] The above-described embodiments can be implemented with various further substitutions and modifications. For example, in the first and second embodiments, the opening 72 and the third panel 73 may be formed to be larger than those in the first and second embodiments, with a height that occupies about half the height of the folding booth 11 and a height that occupies the upper half of the height of the folding booth 11. This allows two folding booths 11 configured in this way to be installed adjacent to each other with the openings 72 facing each other, and to be used with the third panel 73 removed, allowing users in adjacent folding booths 11 to communicate with each other. This allows use in a form in which two or more people participate in one conference to be realized. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 11 Folding Booth 12 Front wall 13 Back wall 14 Top Wall 16 1st Caster 17 2nd Caster 18 Retention mechanism 44 1st wall section 46 Second wall section 47 Third wall P1 1st position P2 2nd position 91 First Axis 92 Axis 2 93 First Arm 93A 1st end 93B 2nd end 94 Second Arm 94A 3rd end 94B 4th end 95 First Gear Section 96 2nd Gear Section 97 1st pin 98 2nd pin 101 1st long hole 102 2nd long hole 111 First Actuator 112 Second Actuator

Claims

1. A front wall supported by the first caster; A rear wall supported by the second caster and facing the front wall; a top wall connecting the front wall and the rear wall, the top wall having a first wall portion located in a central portion, a second wall portion connecting the front wall and the first wall portion, and a third wall portion connecting the rear wall and the first wall portion, the top wall being rotatable between an extended first position and a folded second position in which the second wall portion and the third wall portion face each other; A first pivot provided on the first wall portion; a second pivot provided on the first wall portion and spaced apart from the first pivot in a substantially horizontal direction; a first arm having a first end through which the first pivot passes and a second end connected to the second wall portion, the first arm being rotatable about the first pivot; a second arm having a third end through which the second pivot passes and a fourth end connected to the third wall portion, the second arm being rotatable about the second pivot; a first gear portion provided integrally with the first end portion; a second gear portion provided integrally with the third end portion and meshing with the first gear portion; A folding booth equipped with:

2. The folding booth according to claim 1 , wherein the first pivot and the second pivot are provided at positions sandwiched between the second wall portion and the third wall portion of the top wall in the second position.

3. a first pin provided at the second end; a first long hole provided in the second wall portion and through which the first pin is inserted; A second pin provided at the fourth end; a second slot provided in the third wall portion and through which the second pin is inserted; The folding booth of claim 1 .

4. 2. The folding booth according to claim 1, wherein each of the first arm and the second arm is curved so as to be convex in a direction away from the top wall.

5. 2. The folding booth according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator interposed between at least one of the front wall and the rear wall and the top wall, the actuator being operable to rotate the top wall between the first position and the second position.

Images