Panel unit

Abstract

To provide a panel unit for an open kitchen.SOLUTION: A kitchen cabinet is arranged at a boundary position of a room space continuing from a kitchen space with the kitchen space. A panel unit stands to face a first side surface of the kitchen cabinet, which is erected to face the room space. The panel unit includes: a panel to be arranged to face the first side surface of the kitchen cabinet; and a drive mechanism part for supporting the panel to be vertically lifted / lowered along the first side surface of the kitchen cabinet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a panel unit used in kitchen cabinets that make up an open kitchen, and in particular to a panel unit that is arranged facing a kitchen cabinet installed between the kitchen and an adjacent dining room or living room. [Background technology]

[0002] An open kitchen is a space where the kitchen and adjacent rooms such as the dining room and living room (hereinafter referred to as dining rooms, etc.) are not separated by walls or other partitions. The two spaces are integrated, making it possible to create an open room where you can see from one side to the other. This type of space is widely used in ordinary homes.

[0003] In an open kitchen, a kitchen cabinet equipped with a countertop (kitchen counter) on which a sink and cooking surface (gas stove, etc.) are installed is placed at the boundary between the kitchen and the adjacent dining room, etc., and as the kitchen cabinet is about waist-height, it is visible from both sides, and when a cook works on top of the kitchen cabinet, he or she can cook facing the dining room, etc. while communicating face-to-face with family and friends who are in the dining room, etc. Cooked food can also be handed over to and from the kitchen counter, making meal preparations, etc., more efficient.

[0004] On the other hand, in an open kitchen, for example, the kitchen may be too visible to guests in the dining room, or water may splash into the dining room. Therefore, in order to conceal the kitchen side, Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose a partition wall unit that forms a fixed partition on the back side of the kitchen cabinet. Patent Document 3 also proposes a movable partition structure for face-to-face kitchens in which a partition member that is retractably stored in the wall adjacent to the kitchen cabinet is pulled out in the longitudinal direction above the kitchen counter to form a partition. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-113741 [Patent Document 2] JP 2006-334114 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2003-275045 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, forming a fixed partition wall between the kitchen and the living room, etc., reduces the sense of openness of the open kitchen, and the advantage of the open kitchen of enabling face-to-face communication between the kitchen side and the dining room, etc. is lost. Furthermore, if the height of the partition wall is relatively low, it does not fully fulfill its function of hiding. Thus, with a fixed partition wall, the installation or removal of the partition wall cannot be changed at any time, and the height cannot be changed. Furthermore, forming a partition by erecting a partition member on the kitchen counter narrows the space above the kitchen counter, and requires a structure that can be stored in the adjacent wall, which requires large-scale construction and makes it difficult to install it later.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a panel unit for an open kitchen that can form a partition between a kitchen and a dining room, etc., at any time and can be easily installed, including as an add-on. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The panel unit of the present invention for achieving the above object is configured as a panel unit that is erected facing a first side surface of a kitchen cabinet that is installed at a boundary between a kitchen space and a room space that is continuous with the kitchen space and that faces the room space, and includes a panel that is arranged facing the first side surface of the kitchen cabinet, and a drive mechanism that supports the panel so that it can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction along the first side surface of the kitchen cabinet. A counter is provided at the upper end of the panel, and extends horizontally along the longitudinal direction of the panel. It is characterized by the above.

[0009] Preferably, in the above configuration, A storage section is formed in the panel having a shelf board attached to the surface of the panel facing the room space below the counter, or a storage section is formed in the panel having a shelf board attached to the surface of the panel facing the kitchen cabinet below the counter.

[0010] In addition, preferably, in the above configuration, The panel is formed with a kitchen cabinet side storage section having a shelf board attached to a surface of the panel facing the kitchen cabinet under the counter, and a room space side storage section having a shelf board attached to a surface of the panel facing the room space under the counter. .

[0011] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the drive mechanism unit is Floor surface adjacent to kitchen cabinets Attached to do. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the panel unit of the present invention, a partition can be formed between a kitchen and a dining room, etc., at any time, and the kitchen can be freely switched between being hidden from view and being an open kitchen where the kitchen side is visible. Furthermore, the panel unit of the present invention can be installed whenever the user desires, regardless of the time of construction of a new house or renovation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of the external configuration of a panel unit in an embodiment of the present invention (where the upper end of a panel 12 is located at a position lower than the height of a kitchen cabinet). [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of the external configuration of a panel unit in an embodiment of the present invention (where the upper end of a panel 12 is at a height that is flush with the surface of a kitchen cabinet). [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of the external configuration of a panel unit in an embodiment of the present invention (where the upper end of a panel 12 is located at a position higher than the height of a kitchen cabinet). [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the external configuration of a panel unit in an embodiment of the present invention (when panels 12 at high and low positions are overlapped and transparently displayed). [Diagram 5] 2 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of a panel unit 10 installed in a kitchen cabinet 20. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a panel unit 10 installed in a kitchen cabinet 20. FIG. [Figure 7] 13 is a diagram showing another example of the panel 12 (where the storage section 12c is located on the dining room D side). FIG. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram showing another example of the panel 12 (where the storage section 12c is located on the kitchen K side). FIG. [Figure 9] 13 is a diagram showing another example of the panel 12 (where storage sections 12c are provided on both the dining room D side and the kitchen K side). FIG. [Figure 10] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing schematic diagrams of another example of mounting form of the panel unit 10 mounted on the kitchen cabinet 20. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, such an embodiment does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to specific drawings.

[0015] 1, 2, 3, and 4 are perspective views showing an example of the external configuration of a panel unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. The panel unit 10 is attached to a kitchen cabinet 20 and moves up and down relative to the kitchen cabinet 20. The panel unit 10 includes a panel 12 arranged facing the side of the kitchen cabinet, and FIG. 1 shows the panel 12 in a position where it is lowered to the lowest position (upper end height position P1), FIG. 2 shows the panel 12 in a position where it is raised a predetermined height from the lowest position (upper end height position P2), and FIG. 3 shows the panel 12 in a position where it is further raised to the highest position (upper end height position P3). FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the states of FIGS. 1 to 3 superimposed on each other.

[0016] The kitchen cabinet 20 is a so-called counter-style kitchen unit for forming an open kitchen, and is installed at the boundary between the kitchen K and a room space (e.g., a dining room) D that is adjacent to it. The kitchen cabinet 20 is a box-shaped, rectangular parallelepiped cooking worktop, and is configured with a top plate 22 on the top surface and a storage section 24 (see FIG. 4) below it, and a sink 22a and a cooking table (gas stove, IH cooking heater, etc.) 22b are installed on the top plate 22. Cooking utensils and the like are stored in the storage section 24, and piping connecting to the sink 22a is also provided.

[0017] The kitchen cabinet 20, which is installed on the floor, is surrounded by four vertical side surfaces that stand vertically downward from a rectangular top plate 22 to form a box-like shape, namely, it has a vertical side surface (hereinafter may be referred to as the front side surface) 26a facing the kitchen K, a vertical side surface (hereinafter may be referred to as the rear side surface) 26b opposite the front side surface 26a and facing a room space (dining room) D continuous with the kitchen K, a vertical side surface (hereinafter may be referred to as the left side surface) 26c adjacent to a wall W that is in contact with one end of the kitchen cabinet 20 (not shown as it is the surface that abuts on the wall W, but for convenience a reference number will be given to the end portion with the wall W), and a vertical side surface (hereinafter may be referred to as the right side surface) 26d opposite the left side side surface 26c and which is an open end surface. When the kitchen cabinet 20 is a so-called island-type kitchen unit, the left side surface 26c is also an open end surface, and when the kitchen cabinet 20 is a so-called L-shaped kitchen unit, the left side surface 26c is provided corresponding to a portion of the L-shaped top plate that extends along the wall W. Furthermore, when the layout of the room is reversed, the left side surface 26c and the right side surface 26d are interchangeable.

[0018] A counter 12b may be provided at the upper end portion of the panel 12, extending horizontally towards the dining room D along the longitudinal direction of the panel 12. The counter 12b can be used as a stand for various items such as food dishes and miscellaneous items. The panel 12 is made of a material with the necessary strength, such as a wooden board, a metal board or a resin board, and the surface may be designed with paint or a decorative sheet.

[0019] The panel 12 is a thin plate member having a horizontal length that is approximately the same as the longitudinal (horizontal) length of the rear side 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20, and a vertical length that is approximately the same as or shorter than the height (vertical) length of the rear side 26b. In the example of Figures 1 to 6, a panel 12 having a height (vertical) length shorter than the rear side 26b is shown.

[0020] As an example, if the height of the tabletop 22 of the kitchen cabinet 20 is about 850 mm, the height direction (vertical direction) length of the panel 12 is preferably about 700 mm. In this case, when the bottom end of the panel 12 is lowered until it touches the floor and the panel 12 is positioned at the lowest position (the state shown in FIG. 1), the height position of the top end of the panel 12, i.e., the height position of the counter 12b, will also be about 700 mm, and the counter 12b will function as a counter table adjacent to the kitchen cabinet 20 where people can eat meals on normal chairs. In addition, since the height is almost the same as that of a dining table placed in the dining room D, by connecting the counter 12b to the dining table, it can also be used to extend the dining table.

[0021] When the panel 12 is raised from its lowest position and the upper end height of the panel 12 is positioned at approximately 850 mm (as shown in Figure 2), the counter 12b of the panel 12 is at the same height as the top plate 22 of the kitchen cabinet 20, and the top plate 22 and the counter 12b can be combined to expand the flat work area.

[0022] Furthermore, if the height position of the upper end of the panel 12 is about 900 mm, the counter 12b of the panel 12 can be made into a step counter with a step that is about 50 mm higher than the top plate 22 of the kitchen cabinet 20.

[0023] Furthermore, if the upper end height position of panel 12 is set to a height of 1000 mm or more (as shown in Figure 3), the height of panel 12 will be higher than the line of sight from the dining room D (when seated), and it can function as a partition separating the dining room D from the kitchen K, providing a screen for the kitchen K side (in particular, a screen for cooking work being done on the top plate 22 of the kitchen cabinet 20).

[0024] Furthermore, when the counter 12b is to be used as a so-called bar counter installed in a bar where alcohol is served, for example, the upper end height position of the panel 12 can be set to about 1100 mm and chairs for the bar counter can be provided, so that the counter can be used as a bar counter.

[0025] In this way, with the panel unit of the present invention, the liftable panel is arranged facing the side of the kitchen cabinet, so that a partition can be formed between the kitchen and the dining room, etc., and the kitchen side can be hidden (especially the hands of the cook in the kitchen) at any time. Also, it can be used in two ways, freely switching between a scene where the kitchen side is hidden and a scene where the kitchen side is visible as an open kitchen.

[0026] The panel unit 10 is arranged to be movable up and down facing the rear side surface 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20 facing the dining room D and the right side surface 26d which is the open end surface.

[0027] Fig. 5 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of the panel unit 10 attached to the kitchen cabinet 20, and Fig. 6 is a side view thereof, seen from the line AA in Fig. 5. The panel unit 10 comprises a panel 12 that is erected facing the rear side surface 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20, and a drive mechanism section 14 that raises and lowers the panel 12 in the up and down direction along the rear side surface 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20. Note that in Figs. 1 to 4, the drive mechanism section 14 is omitted in order to show the raised and lowered state of the panel 12.

[0028] 5 and 6, the panel 12 is disposed facing the rear side 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20, which is the side facing the dining room D. The panel 12 has a length that faces the entire longitudinal length of the kitchen cabinet 20. The counter 12b is shown in perspective with dotted lines to show its underside.

[0029] 1 to 4, the panel 12 may extend from the rear side surface 26b to the right side surface 26d that is perpendicular to the rear side surface 26b, and be disposed so as to face the right side surface 26d as well. In this case, the panel 12 is formed in a shape that is bent at a right angle, and the portion that faces the right side surface 26d has a length that faces the entire longitudinal length of the right side surface 26d. By bending and extending the panel 12b to the right side surface 26d, a partition that can hide the room continuing to the right side surface 26d can be provided.

[0030] The drive mechanism 14 is a drive device that raises and lowers the panel 12, is fixedly attached to the kitchen cabinet 20, and supports the panel 12 so that it can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction along the rear side surface 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20.

[0031] The drive mechanism 14 is, for example, constituted by a motor-driven linear actuator, and specifically includes an axis portion 142 fixedly attached to the rear side surface 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20, a movable portion 144 attached to the panel 12 and engaging with the axis portion 142, and a motor M that drives the movable portion 144.

[0032] The shaft 142 has a rack that extends linearly along the height direction of the rear side surface 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20, and the movable part 144 has a rotating gear (pinion) that meshes with the rack, and the panel 12 is raised and lowered by the pinion rotating and moving on the rack. The motor M rotates the pinion via a reducer (not shown).

[0033] Furthermore, as an auxiliary support structure, the shaft portion 142 is provided with a guide rail 146 that extends linearly along the height direction of the rear side surface 26b, while the panel 12 is provided with a guide 148 that fits into the guide rail 146, and the guide 148 guides the raising and lowering of the panel 12 along the guide rail 146 as the movable portion 144 moves.

[0034] The movable portion 144 may be configured to move relative to the rack using a screw gear (worm gear) that meshes with the rack, instead of a pinion.

[0035] In addition, the drive mechanism 14 is not limited to the gear drive system using the rack described above, but various other drive systems can be adopted, such as a cylinder drive system that uses the expansion and contraction of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, or a belt drive system that moves a belt by rotating a pulley.

[0036] 7, 8 and 9 are diagrams showing other examples of the panel 12. The panel 12, which is arranged standing vertically, may have a counter 12b extending horizontally from its upper end toward the dining room D, and a storage section 12c may be provided under the counter 12b. The storage section 12c is a shelf board extending parallel to the counter 12b, and the space under the counter 12b can be effectively utilized. The storage section 12c may be provided with a door (not shown). The embodiment in FIG. 7 shows an example in which the storage section 12c is formed on the dining room D side, the embodiment in FIG. 8 shows an example in which the storage section 12c is formed on the kitchen K side, and the embodiment in FIG. 9 shows an example in which the storage section 12c is formed on both the dining room D side and the kitchen K side. FIG. 9(a) is a view from the dining room D side, and FIG. 9(b) is a view from the kitchen K side. When the panel 12 is lowered to a position lower than the height of the kitchen cabinet 20, the storage section 12c provided on the dining room D side can also be hidden. 7 to 9, in order to illustrate the storage section 12 of the panel 12, the drive mechanism section 14 is omitted, and further, the kitchen cabinet 20 is simply shown as a box-shaped rectangular parallelepiped.

[0037] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of another mounting example of the panel unit 10 to be attached to the kitchen cabinet 20. In the example of FIG. 10, a built-in waist wall 30 is installed in contact with the rear side surface 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20 facing the dining room D side. The panel unit 10 is attached to the surface of the built-in waist wall 30 facing the dining room D side, and the panel 10 is provided so that it can be raised and lowered relative to the kitchen cabinet 20 by the above-mentioned drive mechanism unit 14. There are relatively many houses designed to have a built-in waist wall 30 installed in contact with the rear side surface 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20, and the panel unit 10 in this embodiment can be easily installed after the fact even in the kitchen form of an existing house in which such a built-in waist wall 30 is installed. Of course, as described above, even in the form in which the panel unit 10 is directly attached to the kitchen cabinet 20 without the built-in waist wall 30, the panel unit 10 can be easily installed after the fact. Note that FIG. 10 shows a state in which the panel 12 of the panel unit 10 is raised compared to FIG. 6.

[0038] The panel unit 10 may be attached not only to the rear surface 26b of the kitchen cabinet 20 facing the dining room D or to the adjacent waist-length wall 30, but also to the floor surface adjacent to the kitchen cabinet 20 so that the panel 10 is disposed opposite the rear side surface 26 of the kitchen cabinet 20. In this case, the shaft portion 142 of the drive mechanism portion 14 of the panel unit 10 is fixed to the floor surface.

[0039] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes design changes that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention, including various modifications and alterations that would occur to a person with ordinary knowledge in the field of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10: panel unit, 12: panel, 12b: counter, 12c: storage section, 14: drive mechanism section, 20: kitchen cabinet, 22: countertop, 22a: sink, 22b: cooking table, 24: storage section, 26a: vertical side surface (front side surface), 26b: vertical side surface (rear side surface), 26c: vertical side surface (left side surface), 26d: vertical side surface (right side surface), 30: built-in waist wall, 142: axis section, 144: movable section, 146: guide rail, 148: guide

Claims

1. A panel unit is provided to face a first side surface of a kitchen cabinet that is installed at a boundary between a kitchen space and a room space adjacent to the kitchen space, the first side surface facing the room space, a panel disposed facing the first side of the kitchen cabinet; a drive mechanism for supporting the panel so that the panel can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction along the first side surface of the kitchen cabinet; A panel unit comprising: a counter provided at an upper end portion of the panel, the counter extending horizontally along the longitudinal direction of the panel.

2. A panel unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that the panel is formed with a storage section having a shelf attached to the underside of the counter and to the surface of the panel facing the room space.

3. A panel unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that the panel is formed with a storage section having a shelf attached to the underside of the counter and to the kitchen cabinet side of the panel.

4. A panel unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that the panel is formed with a kitchen cabinet side storage section having a shelf attached to the kitchen cabinet side surface of the panel below the counter, and a room space side storage section having a shelf attached to the room space side surface of the panel below the counter.

5. 5. The panel unit according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is attached to a floor surface adjacent to the kitchen cabinet.

Images