partition

Abstract

To provide a partition improved in convenience.SOLUTION: A partition has: a body 20 having a rear face plate 21, an upper face plate 23, and a connection plate connecting the rear face plate 21 to the upper face plate 23; and a pair of side face plates 31 connected to the body 20, and the partition can change its form into a used state or a non-used state. The connection plate and the upper face plate 23 are rotatably connected by an upper face hinge 28. In the used state, the side face plates 31 are connected to each of width-direction both ends of the rear face plate 21 at rear end parts thereof and support the upper face plate 23 at upper ends thereof. In the non-used state, the rear face plate 21 and the upper face plate 23 are arranged facing each other with a space between them crossing the connection plate, and a storing space is formed between the rear face plate 21 and the upper face plate 23.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to partitions. [Background technology]

[0002] Some people install screens or partitions on their desks or tables to create private spaces for work or study. Patent Document 1 describes an invention relating to a soundproof booth that can be installed on a desk. The soundproof booth includes a partition panel having a back panel, a left panel, and a right panel, and a top panel installed above the partition panel. The back panel, the left panel, and the right panel are installed perpendicular to the top surface of the desk, and the top panel is parallel to the top surface of the desk. The partition panel and the top panel form a box-like structure that three-dimensionally surrounds a laptop computer or other device on the desk from all four sides. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3228452 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the soundproof booth described in Patent Document 1, the top panel and right side panel are formed by bending a single piece of cardboard into an L shape, and the back panel and left side panel are also formed by bending a single piece of cardboard into an L shape. The corners of these two pieces of cardboard are then detachably fastened together with hook-and-loop fasteners to form a box shape.

[0005] After use, the hook-and-loop fastener is removed to separate the two panels, and the top and right panels can be folded up, while the back and left panels can be folded up for storage.

[0006] However, when not in use, the two board panels are separated, so when moving the device to another storage location, the two board panels come apart, making it inconvenient to transport. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a partition that can change its shape between a used state and a non-used state, and includes a main body having a rear panel, a top panel, and a connecting plate connecting the rear panel and the top panel, and a pair of side panels connected to the main body. The connecting plate and the top panel are rotatably connected by top hinges, and in the used state, the rear ends of the side panels are connected to both widthwise ends of the rear panel and support the top panel at their upper ends. In the non-used state, the rear panel and the top panel are arranged opposite each other with a gap between them, with the connecting plate sandwiched between them, forming a storage space between the rear panel and the top panel.

[0008] Here, the rear panel is the panel located at the rear side in front of the user when the partition is in use. The top panel is the panel located above the user. The side panels are the panels located on both sides of the user. Furthermore, the partition defines the up-down direction of the partition when in use, with the user side being the front side and the rear side being the rear side in front of the user, defining the front-to-back direction, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down and front-to-back directions being defined as the width direction. Furthermore, both widthwise ends of the rear panel refer to the edge-side areas including both end edges of the rear panel.

[0009] According to the above configuration, when the top panel of the partition is rotated around the top hinge portion in an in-use state, the rear panel and the top panel are positioned opposite each other, thereby placing the partition in an unused state. At this time, the connecting plate connecting the rear panel and the top panel is located at one end of the rear panel and the top panel, forming a storage space surrounded by the connecting plate and the rear panel and the top panel. Therefore, the pair of side panels can be folded or removed and stored inside the storage space. This allows the individual panels constituting the partition to be easily moved to another location at once without coming apart. This provides a partition that is easy to carry when not in use. This improves the convenience of the partition.

[0010] In the above configuration, it is preferable that the rear plate and the connecting plate are rotatably connected by a rear hinge portion. According to the above-mentioned configuration, the rear plate and the top plate are rotatable relative to the connecting plate, which makes it easy to change the shape from the use state to the non-use state.

[0011] In the above configuration, it is preferable that the main body and the side panels are formed from hollow plate material made of thermoplastic resin with multiple cells arranged side by side inside, and that the top hinge portion and the rear hinge portion are formed as concave strips made by thermally melting the hollow plate material.

[0012] According to the above configuration, the plates that make up the partition are made of hollow plates made of thermoplastic resin. This makes them lightweight yet strong. They can easily change shape between their used and unused states, and they are also highly durable.

[0013] The upper panel, connecting panel, and rear panel that make up the main body are all formed from a single hollow plate, simplifying the structure. Furthermore, the upper hinge between the upper panel and connecting panel, and the rear hinge between the connecting panel and rear panel, are formed by thermally fusing the hollow plate, so the density of the thermoplastic resin in the upper hinge and rear hinge is higher than in other parts. This allows the upper panel and rear panel to maintain their strength when they rotate.

[0014] In the above configuration, it is preferable that the side panel is detachably attached to the main body. According to the above configuration, the pair of side panels can be removed and stored inside the storage space, which is convenient as the device can be carried with the side panels stored.

[0015] In the above configuration, it is preferable that the side panel is rotatably connected to the main body. According to the above configuration, the pair of side panels can be folded and stored inside the storage space, which makes it convenient to carry the device with the side panels stored.

[0016] In the above configuration, it is preferable that the rear plate and the top plate each have a handle formed thereon. According to the above configuration, the partition can be more conveniently carried when not in use. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The present invention provides a partition that is easy to carry. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the partition of the first embodiment in use, as seen from the front side. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the partition in use, seen from the rear side. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main body in an unfolded state. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] (a) is a partial perspective view of a hollow plate material, (b) is a β-β line cross-sectional view of (a), and (c) is a γ-γ line cross-sectional view of (a). [Figure 6] 1(a) to 1(c) are diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing a hollow plate material. [Figure 7]10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the state of the hollow plate material at the first hinge portion. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for assembling a partition. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an unused partition. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the partition of the second embodiment in use, as seen from the front side. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line 11-11 in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the partition when not in use. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a top view of the partition when not in use. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] (First embodiment) A partition according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The partition 10 of this embodiment is placed on a desk (not shown) to partition a private space for work or study. The width of the partition 10 is sometimes referred to as the left-right direction, referring to the right and left sides of the partition 10 as seen from the user when in use. The size of the partition 10 is approximately 70 cm in the vertical direction, approximately 50 cm in the front-to-back direction, and approximately 80 cm in the width direction (left-to-right direction).

[0020] 1 to 4, the partition 10 includes a main body 20 and a pair of side panels 31. The main body 20 has a shape in which a rear panel 21, a connecting panel 22, and a top panel 23 are integrally connected.

[0021] The main body 20 and the pair of side panels 31 are formed of a hollow plate material 1 made of thermoplastic resin with a plurality of cells S arranged side by side inside, a urethane sheet (not shown), and a fabric material (not shown) that covers the outside of the hollow plate material 1 and the urethane sheet. The hollow plate material 1 will be described later.

[0022] The urethane sheet is laminated so as to cover one main surface of the hollow board material 1. The surface on which the urethane sheet is laminated is the surface that becomes the inner surface of the partition 10 when the partition 10 is in use. The urethane sheet is laminated on all surfaces except for the first hinge portion 24, second hinge portion 25, third hinge portion 26, rear hinge portion 27, top hinge portion 28, and side hinge portion 32, which will be described later.

[0023] The fabric material is made of a stretchable material. By covering the hollow board 1 and the urethane sheet with the fabric material, the shapes of the hinge portions 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 32 formed in the hollow board 1 are not exposed to the outside. Note that, since the urethane sheet and fabric material are not shown in the drawings, the shapes of the main body 20 and the side panels 31 are shown as the shapes of the hollow board 1 on which the hinge portions 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 32 are formed.

[0024] 2 and 3, the rear panel 21 is formed in a rectangular shape. When the partition 10 is in use, the rear panel 21 stands upright in the vertical direction. Two first hinge portions 24 that extend in the vertical direction when the partition 10 is in use are formed near both widthwise edges of the rear panel 21.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 7, first hinge portion 24 is formed as a recessed ridge with a triangular cross section that is formed by reducing the thickness of rear panel 21. Note that Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating first hinge portion 24, but second hinge portion 25, third hinge portion 26, rear hinge portion 27, top hinge portion 28, and side hinge portion 32, which will be described later, also have the same shape as first hinge portion 24.

[0026] 2 and 3, the portion of rear panel 21 closer to the center than first hinge portion 24 is referred to as main body portion 21a. Furthermore, the portions at both ends of rear panel 21 that are closer to the ends than first hinge portion 24 are referred to as folded portions 21b. Bended portions 21b at both ends of rear panel 21 are rotatable relative to main body portion 21a, with the thinnest portion of first hinge portion 24 serving as pivot axis 24a.

[0027] The size of the rear panel 21 is approximately 50 cm in the vertical direction and approximately 80 cm in the width direction (left and right direction). The width direction (left and right direction) of the main body 21a is approximately 60 cm, and the width direction (left and right direction) of the folding portion 21b is approximately 10 cm.

[0028] 3, open zippers 41 serving as attachment members are sewn to the fabric material (not shown) that covers the hollow plate material 1 and the urethane sheet at both widthwise edges of the bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21. The open zippers 41 are sewn over the entire length of both end edges of the bent portion 21b.

[0029] The open zipper 41 is a zipper that can be separated by moving a slider (not shown) to one end. Here, the side to which the slider is attached in the separated state is referred to as the male zipper 41a, and the side to which the slider is not attached is referred to as the female zipper 41b. The male zipper 41a is sewn to the right-hand bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21, and the female zipper 41b is sewn to the left-hand bent portion 21b.

[0030] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the connecting plate 22 is formed in a rectangular shape. When the partition 10 is in use, the connecting plate 22 extends in the vertical direction along the rear panel 21. Two second hinge portions 25 are formed on the connecting plate 22 near both widthwise edges, extending in the vertical direction when the partition 10 is in use. The second hinge portions 25 are formed as recessed strips with a triangular cross section, which reduce the thickness of the connecting plate 22. The portion of the connecting plate 22 closer to the center than the second hinge portions 25 is defined as a main body portion 22a. The portions of the connecting plate 22 that are closer to the ends than the second hinge portions 25 are defined as bent portions 22b. The bent portions 22b at both ends of the connecting plate 22 are rotatable relative to the main body portion 22a, with the thinnest portions of the second hinge portions 25 acting as pivots 25a.

[0031] The connecting plate 22 has a vertical dimension of approximately 20 cm and a width (left-right) dimension of approximately 80 cm. The width (left-right) dimension of the main body 22a is approximately 55 cm, and the width (left-right) dimension of the bent portion 22b is approximately 12 cm.

[0032] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the top panel 23 is formed in a rectangular shape. When the partition 10 is in use, the top panel 23 extends perpendicular to the rear panel 21 and the connecting panel 22. Two third hinge portions 26 are formed near both widthwise edges of the top panel 23, extending in the front-to-rear direction when the partition 10 is in use. The third hinge portions 26 are formed as recessed strips with triangular cross sections, reducing the thickness of the top panel 23. The portion of the top panel 23 closer to the center than the third hinge portions 26 is defined as a main body portion 23a. The portions of the top panel 23 that are closer to the ends than the third hinge portions 26 are defined as bent portions 23b. The bent portions 23b at both ends of the top panel 23 are rotatable relative to the main body portion 23a, with the thinnest portions of the third hinge portions 26 acting as pivots 26a.

[0033] The size of the top plate 23 is approximately the same as that of the rear plate 21. The sizes of the main body portion 23a and the bent portion 23b are also approximately the same as those of the main body portion 23a and the bent portion 23b of the rear plate 21. As shown in Fig. 3, open fasteners 42 are attached as assembly members to both widthwise edges of the bent portion 23b of the top plate 23. The open fasteners 42 are attached over the entire length of both edge portions of the bent portion 23b. The open fasteners 42 are the same product as the open fastener 41 and are adjusted to the same length. A female fastener 42b is attached to the right bent portion 23b of the top plate 23, and a male fastener 42a is attached to the left bent portion 23b.

[0034] 3, a rear hinge portion 27 extending in the width direction is formed between the rear plate 21 and the connecting plate 22. The rear hinge portion 27 is formed over the entire width direction between the main body portion 21a of the rear plate 21 and the main body portion 22a of the connecting plate 22. An upper hinge portion 28 extending in the width direction is formed between the upper plate 23 and the connecting plate 22. The upper hinge portion 28 is formed over the entire width direction between the main body portion 23a of the upper plate 23 and the main body portion 22a of the connecting plate 22.

[0035] On the other hand, there is no connection between the bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21 and the bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22. There is also no connection between the bent portion 23b of the top panel 23 and the bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22. Therefore, the bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22 is rotatable with respect to the main body portion 22a, independently of the bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21 and the bent portion 23b of the top panel 23.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the side panel 31 is formed in a rectangular shape. A side hinge portion 32 is formed in the vertical center of the side panel 31, extending in the front-to-rear direction when the partition 10 is in use. The side hinge portion 32 is formed as a recessed strip with a triangular cross section, which reduces the thickness of the side panel 31. In the side panel 31, the portion above the side hinge portion 32 is called an upper half portion 31a, and the portion below the side hinge portion 32 is called a lower half portion 31b. The upper half portion 31a and the lower half portion 31b are rotatable around the thinnest part of the side hinge portion 32 as a rotation axis 32a.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, open zippers 43 serving as attachment members are sewn to the fabric material (not shown) that covers the hollow plate 1 and the urethane sheet at the upper and rear edges of the side panel 31. They are sewn along the entire length of the upper edge of the side panel 31. The open zipper 43 at the rear edge is sewn to the lower side of the rear edge of the side panel 31. The open zipper 43 uses the same product as the open zipper 41 and is adjusted to the same length. The male zipper 43a and female zipper 43b of the open zipper 43 are attached at different positions on the pair of left and right side panels 31.

[0038] 4 shows the side panel 31 attached to the left side. The side panel 31 attached to the left has a female zipper 43b sewn to the top edge and a male zipper 43a sewn to the rear edge. On the other hand, the side panel 31 attached to the right side has a male zipper 43a sewn to the top edge and a female zipper 43b sewn to the rear edge.

[0039] Next, the structure of the hollow plate material 1 that forms the main body 20 and the side plate 31 will be described. As shown in Figure 5(a), the hollow plate material 1 is composed of a core layer 2 made of thermoplastic resin with multiple cells S arranged side by side inside, and skin layers 3 and 4 made of thermoplastic resin joined to both main surfaces of the core layer 2 so as to cover the entire core layer 2.

[0040] The core layer 2 is formed by folding a single thermoplastic resin sheet material 100 molded into a predetermined shape. The core layer 2 is composed of an upper wall portion 2a, a lower wall portion 2b, and a side wall portion 2c that is erected between the upper wall portion 2a and the lower wall portion 2b and divides the cells S into a hexagonal columnar shape. As will be described below, the upper wall portion 2a and the lower wall portion 2b of the core layer 2 have a mixed structure of a one-layer structure and a two-layer structure, but in FIG. 5(a), the upper wall portion 2a and the lower wall portion 2b of the core layer 2 are shown as having a single-layer structure.

[0041] As shown in Figures 5(b) and (c), the cells S partitioned and formed inside the core layer 2 include a first cell S1 and a second cell S2 with different structures. As shown in Figure 5(b), in the first cell S1, a two-layer upper wall portion 2a is provided on the upper part of the side wall portion 2c. The layers of this two-layer upper wall portion 2a are bonded to each other. In addition, an opening (not shown) is formed in the two-layer upper wall portion 2a due to thermal shrinkage of the thermoplastic resin during molding of the core layer 2. In the first cell S1, a single-layer lower wall portion 2b is provided below the side wall portion 2c.

[0042] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 5(c), in the second cell S2, a single-layer upper wall 2a is provided on the upper part of the side wall 2c. In addition, in the second cell S2, a two-layer lower wall 2b is provided on the lower part of the side wall 2c. The layers of this two-layer lower wall 2b are bonded to each other. An opening (not shown) is formed in the two-layer lower wall 2b due to thermal contraction of the thermoplastic resin during molding of the core layer 2.

[0043] 5(b) and 5(c), adjacent first cells S1 and adjacent second cells S2 are partitioned by sidewalls 2c having a two-layer structure. The two-layer sidewalls 2c have portions that are not heat-welded to each other in the center of the thickness direction of the core layer 2. Therefore, the internal space of each cell S of the core layer 2 is in communication with the internal spaces of the other cells S through the two-layer sidewalls 2c.

[0044] As shown in Figure 5(a), the first cells S1 are arranged in rows along the X direction. Similarly, the second cells S2 are arranged in rows along the X direction. The rows of the first cells S1 and the rows of the second cells S2 are alternately arranged in the Y direction, which is perpendicular to the X direction. The first cells S1 and the second cells S2 form a honeycomb structure as a whole in the core layer 2.

[0045] The thermoplastic resin constituting the core layer 2 and the skin layers 3 and 4 may be any conventionally known thermoplastic resin, such as polypropylene resin, polyamide resin, polyethylene resin, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin, acrylic resin, polybutylene terephthalate resin, etc. In this embodiment, the core layer 2 and the skin layers 3 and 4 are made of polypropylene resin. The thermoplastic resin constituting the core layer 2 and the thermoplastic resin constituting the skin layers 3 and 4 are preferably made of the same material. In this embodiment, the skin layers 3 and 4 have the same thickness.

[0046] Next, a method for manufacturing the hollow plate material 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the hollow plate material 1 is manufactured by forming a core layer 2 from one sheet material 100 and bonding skin layers 3 and 4 to the core layer 2.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 6(a), the sheet material 100 is formed by molding a single thermoplastic resin sheet into a predetermined shape. The sheet material 100 has band-shaped flat regions 110 and bulging regions 120 alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the sheet material 100. In the bulging region 120, a first bulging portion 121 having a downward groove-like cross section and consisting of an upper surface and a pair of side surfaces is formed over the entire extending direction (Y direction) of the bulging region 120. Note that the angle formed between the upper surface and the side surface of the first bulging portion 121 is preferably 90 degrees, so that the cross section of the first bulging portion 121 has a downward U-shape. The width of the first bulging portion 121 (the length in the short direction of the upper surface) is set to be equal to the width of the flat region 110 and to be twice the bulging height of the first bulging portion 121 (the length in the short direction of the side surfaces).

[0048] In addition, in the bulging region 120, a plurality of second bulging portions 122, each of which has a cross-sectional shape that is a trapezoid obtained by bisecting a regular hexagon along its longest diagonal, are formed so as to be perpendicular to the first bulging portions 121. The bulging height of the second bulging portions 122 is set to be equal to the bulging height of the first bulging portions 121. The interval between adjacent second bulging portions 122 is equal to the width of the upper surface of the second bulging portions 122.

[0049] The first bulging portion 121 and the second bulging portion 122 are formed by partially bulging the sheet upwards by utilizing the plasticity of the sheet. The sheet material 100 can be formed from a single sheet by a well-known forming method such as vacuum forming or compression forming.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), the sheet material 100 configured as described above is folded along the boundary lines P and Q to form the core layer 2. Specifically, the sheet material 100 is valley-folded at the boundary line P between the flat region 110 and the bulging region 120, and mountain-folded at the boundary line Q between the top surface and side surface of the first bulging portion 121, thereby compressing it in the X direction. Then, as shown in FIGS. 6(b) and 6(c), the top surface and side surface of the first bulging portion 121 are folded over, and the end surface of the second bulging portion 122 is folded over on the flat region 110, thereby forming one rectangular columnar partition 130 extending in the Y direction for each bulging region 120. These partitions 130 are continuously formed in the X direction, thereby forming the hollow plate-like core layer 2.

[0051] When the sheet material 100 is compressed as described above, the upper wall 2a of the core layer 2 is formed by the upper surface and side surface of the first bulge 121, and the lower wall 2b of the core layer 2 is formed by the end surface of the second bulge 122 and the flat region 110. As shown in Fig. 6(c), the portion of the upper wall 2a where the upper surface and side surface of the first bulge 121 are folded over to form a two-layer structure, and the portion of the lower wall 2b where the end surface of the second bulge 122 and the flat region 110 are folded over to form a two-layer structure are overlapping portions 131.

[0052] Furthermore, a hexagonal columnar region formed by folding the second bulging portion 122 becomes the second cell S2, and a hexagonal columnar region formed between a pair of adjacent partitions 130 becomes the first cell S1. In this embodiment, the upper and side surfaces of the second bulging portion 122 form the side wall 2c of the second cell S2, and the side surfaces of the second bulging portion 122 and the flat portions located between the second bulging portions 122 in the bulging region 120 form the side wall 2c of the first cell S1. The contact areas between the upper surfaces of the second bulging portions 122 and the contact areas between the flat portions in the bulging region 120 form the side wall 2c having a two-layer structure. Note that, when performing this folding process, it is preferable to heat-treat the sheet material 100 to soften it.

[0053] Next, the skin layer 3 is superimposed on the upper surface of the core layer 2, and the skin layer 4 is superimposed on the lower surface of the core layer 2. The skin layers 3 and 4 are preferably softened by heat treatment. By heat treating the skin layers 3 and 4, the thermoplastic resin adhesive layers coated on the skin layers 3 and 4 are partially thermally melted. Therefore, the skin layers 3 and 4 superimposed on the core layer 2 are positioned in a state where they are temporarily bonded to the core layer 2. The adhesive layers solidify as the temperatures of the core layer 2 and the skin layers 3 and 4 decrease, and the skin layers 3 and 4 are bonded to the core layer 2 to form the hollow plate material 1.

[0054] Next, a method for manufacturing the partition 10 using the hollow plate material 1 will be described. The partition 10 is manufactured by cutting a hollow board material 1 to a predetermined size and then processing it. The method for manufacturing the partition 10 includes a heating process, a press molding process, and a post-processing process. The heating process is a process in which the hollow board material 1 is heated. The press molding process is a process in which the hollow board material 1 is molded in a mold to form an intermediate body. The post-processing process is a process in which a urethane sheet is joined to the intermediate body, covered with a cloth material, and then open zippers 41, 42, and 43 are sewn on.

[0055] Prior to the heating step, the hollow board material 1 to be used for the main body 20 of the partition 10 is cut into a rectangular shape slightly larger than the main body 20. Also, the hollow board material 1 to be used for the side panel 31 is cut into a rectangular shape slightly larger than the side panel 31.

[0056] In the heating process, the cut hollow plate material 1 is placed in a heating furnace set to a predetermined temperature and held there for a predetermined time. The temperature inside the heating furnace is set to a temperature at which the thermoplastic resin that makes up the hollow plate material 1 melts.

[0057] In the press molding process, the hollow plate material 1 is clamped in a mold having a cavity that is the same shape as the main body 20 but a little larger than the main body 20, and in a mold having a cavity that is the same shape as the side panel 31 but a little larger than the main body 20.

[0058] Because the main body 20 and the side panels 31 are manufactured using the same process, the following describes the molding of the main body 20. In the mold for molding the main body 20, a rectangular plate-shaped space with multiple ridges is formed by clamping the mold. These ridges are used to form the first hinge portion 24, the second hinge portion 25, the third hinge portion 26, the rear hinge portion 27, and the top hinge portion 28. In addition, ridges are formed in the portions between the bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21 and the bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22, and between the bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22 and the bent portion 23b of the top panel 23. These ridges are formed in a triangular shape in cross section. The height of the cavity in the portions other than the ridges is slightly smaller than the thickness of the hollow plate material 1.

[0059] The hollow plate material 1 heated in the heating process is placed in a mold and clamped to form an intermediate body. The pressure and pressing time during pressing can be set appropriately. The hollow plate material 1 is molded into the shape of the cavity to obtain an intermediate body. The height of the cavity in parts other than the ridges of the mold is slightly lower than the thickness of the hollow plate material 1. Therefore, in parts of the intermediate body other than those corresponding to the ridges of the mold, the hollow plate material 1 is hardly compressed in the thickness direction and maintains its hollow structure. In addition, the thermoplastic resin that makes up the hollow plate material 1 hardly melts. Therefore, the strength of the honeycomb structure is maintained in these parts.

[0060] Meanwhile, in some of the protruding ridges of the mold, recessed ridges having a triangular cross section are formed in the hollow plate material 1. These recessed ridges are maintained as they are without being bent, thereby forming a first hinge portion 24, a second hinge portion 25, a third hinge portion 26, a rear hinge portion 27, and a top hinge portion 28.

[0061] In the first hinge portion 24 shown in FIG. 7 , the thermoplastic resin constituting the hollow plate material 1 is thermally melted and compressed in the thickness direction. This increases the density of the thermoplastic resin compared to the density in the hollow plate material 1. The portion most compressed in the thickness direction is the pivot shaft 24a of the first hinge portion 24. In the pivot shaft 24a, the thermoplastic resin constituting the upper wall portion 2a, the lower wall portion 2b, and the side wall portion 2c of the core layer 2 is thermally melted, and the thermoplastic resin constituting the skin layers 3 and 4 is also thermally melted and integrated, forming a gap-free state. In the integrated state of the thermoplastic resin, the pivot shaft 24a has bending rigidity sufficient to rotatably connect the bent portion 21b to the main body portion 21a and maintains its strength as the pivot shaft 24a. The state of the thermoplastic resin in the first hinge portion 24 and the pivot shaft 24a is similar in the other hinge portions 25, 26, 27, and 28 and the pivot shafts 25a, 26a, 27a, and 28a.

[0062] In addition, the hollow plate material 1 is cut at other parts of the ridges of the mold. These ridges form a cut portion between the bent portion 21b of the rear plate 21 and the bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22, and a cut portion between the bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22 and the bent portion 23b of the top plate 23.

[0063] The side panel 31 is also press-molded in the same manner. By press molding, a side hinge portion 32 having a rotation shaft 32a is formed in the side panel 31. The state of the thermoplastic resin in the side hinge portion 32 and the rotation shaft 32a is the same as that of the first hinge portion 24 and the rotation shaft 24a. The bending rigidity and strength of the rotation shaft 32a are maintained when the upper half portion 31a and the lower half portion 31b of the side panel 31 rotate.

[0064] Through the above steps, the main body 20 and the side panel 31 are formed. In the post-processing step, first, a urethane sheet is bonded to the intermediate body. For the main body 20, the urethane sheet is prepared by cutting it to the size of the main body portion 21a and bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21, the main body portion 22a and bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22, and the main body portion 23a and bent portion 23b of the top panel 23. After applying adhesive to each urethane sheet, it is bonded to one main surface of the intermediate body.

[0065] Next, the intermediate body to which the urethane sheet is joined is covered with a fabric material by sewing. The fabric material has open zippers 41 and 42 sewn at predetermined positions. Similar post-processing steps are also carried out on the side panels 31. Through the above steps, the partition 10 is obtained.

[0066] Next, the usage of the partition 10 and its function will be explained. As shown in Figure 8, to set the device in the usage state shown in Figures 1 and 2, first, the main body 20 and a pair of side panels 31 are prepared. The flat main body 20 is rotated at the top hinge portion 28 to hold the top panel 23, connecting plate 22, and rear panel 21 in a state where they are substantially perpendicular to each other. At this time, the bent portion 23b of the top panel 23 is stretched so that it is planar with the main body portion 23a. The bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22 is also stretched so that it is planar with the main body portion 22a, and the bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21 is also stretched so that it is planar with the main body portion 21a.

[0067] First, the female fastener 43b on the rear edge of the right side panel 31 is attached to the male fastener 41a on the right edge of the rear panel 21. Next, the male fastener 43a on the top edge of the right side panel 31 is attached to the female fastener 42b on the right edge of the top panel 23. This maintains the top panel 23, connecting plate 22, and rear panel 21 in an orthogonal state, and the side panel 31 is attached to the right edge of the main body 20.

[0068] Next, in the same manner as the right side panel 31, the side panel 31 is attached to the left edge of the main body 20. At this time, the male fastener 43a on the rear edge of the side panel 31 is attached to the female fastener 41b on the left edge of the rear panel 21, and the female fastener 43b on the top edge of the side panel 31 is attached to the male fastener 42a on the left edge of the top panel 23.

[0069] In this way, the partition 10 in use is formed, having a box-shaped internal space surrounded by the top panel 23, connecting panel 22, rear panel 21, and side panel 31. In use, the side panels 31 are attached at their rear ends to both widthwise ends of the rear panel, and support the top panel 23 at their upper ends via open fasteners 42, 43.

[0070] Urethane sheets are laminated on the surfaces of the main body 20 and the side panels 31 that will become the inner surfaces of the partition 10 when in use, which provides sound absorption properties to the partition 10. In addition, the impact when touching the inner surface of the partition 10 is soft.

[0071] As shown in Figure 9, to put the partition 10 into an unused state after use, the male fastener 43a and female fastener 42b between the right side panel 31 and the top panel 23 are removed. Also, the male fastener 41a and female fastener 43b between the right side panel 31 and the rear panel 21 are removed. This removes the right side panel 31 from the main body 20. The left side panel 31 is removed in the same manner.

[0072] Next, the rear panel 21 is rotated around the rotation shaft 27a of the rear hinge portion 27 so that the rear panel 21 and the top panel 23 are approximately parallel to each other. At this time, the rear panel 21 and the top panel 23 are disposed facing each other with a gap equal to the vertical dimension of the connecting plate 22. Next, the connecting plate 22 is held in a state where it is on the lower side, and the pair of left and right bent portions 22b of the connecting plate 22 are rotated around the rotation shaft 25a of the second hinge portion 25. This causes the bent portions 22b to be approximately perpendicular to the main body portion 22a.

[0073] The right-side bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21 is rotated around the rotation shaft 24a of the first hinge portion 24, and the right-side bent portion 23b of the top panel 23 is rotated around the rotation shaft 26a of the third hinge portion 26. Then, the female fastener 42b of the right-side bent portion 23b is attached to the male fastener 41a of the right-side bent portion 21b. Similarly, the left-side bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21 is rotated, and the right-side bent portion 23b of the top panel 23 is rotated, and the female fastener 41b of the right-side bent portion 23b is attached to the male fastener 42a.

[0074] As a result, as shown in Figure 9, the main body 20 becomes box-shaped, and a storage space is formed inside. The main body 20 becomes box-shaped with dimensions in the width direction of approximately 60 cm, dimensions in the vertical direction of approximately 50 cm, and a thickness of approximately 20 cm. The pair of removed side panels 31 are rotated around the rotation axis 32a of the side hinge portion 32 and folded in two. The folded side panels 31 are stored in the storage space formed inside the main body 20.

[0075] In this way, when the partition 10 is not in use, the side panels 31 can be stored inside the box-shaped main body 20, and the main body 20 and side panels 31 can be carried as a single unit. In addition, urethane sheets are laminated on the surfaces of the main body 20 and side panels 31 that will become the inner surfaces of the partition 10 when in use. Therefore, when the partition 10 is not in use, the inner surface of the box-shaped main body 20 is the surface on which the urethane sheets are laminated. This prevents the side panels 31 from being scratched when stored in the storage space.

[0076] According to the partition 10 of the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1-1) The partition 10 comprises a main body 20 having a rear panel 21, a connecting plate 22, and a top panel 23, and a pair of side panels 31 attached to the main body 20, and is capable of changing its shape between a used state and a non-used state. In the non-used state, the rear panel 21 and the top panel 23 are arranged opposite each other with a gap between them, with the connecting plate 22 in between, and a storage space is formed between the rear panel 21 and the top panel 23.

[0077] Therefore, the pair of side panels 31 can be stored inside the storage space. This allows the components that make up the partition 10 to be moved to another location all at once without coming apart. This results in a partition 10 that is easy to carry when not in use. In addition, since the components that make up the partition 10 do not come apart, it is also convenient for storage.

[0078] (1-2) The side panel 31 is detachable from the main body 20. Therefore, if the removed side panel 31 is stored in the storage space, the side panel 31 can be carried together with the main body 20 without coming apart.

[0079] (1-3) The rear panel 21 and the connecting plate 22 are rotatably connected by a rear hinge portion 27. Therefore, the rear plate 21 can rotate about the rotation shaft 27a relative to the connecting plate 22. The shape can be easily changed from the use state to the non-use state.

[0080] (1-4) The upper surface plate 23 and the connecting plate 22 are rotatably connected by the upper surface hinge portion 28. Therefore, the upper surface plate 23 can rotate about the rotation shaft 28a relative to the connecting plate 22. The shape can be easily changed from the use state to the non-use state.

[0081] (1-5) The main body 20 and the side panels 31 are formed from a hollow plate material 1 made of thermoplastic resin, with a plurality of cells arranged side by side inside. Therefore, it is lightweight yet strong, and can be easily placed on a desk or moved to another location.

[0082] (1-6) Each of the hinge portions 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 32 is formed as a recessed line by thermally fusing the hollow plate material 1. This allows the shape to be easily changed between the use state and the non-use state, and provides excellent durability. Furthermore, the density of the thermoplastic resin in each hinge portion 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 32 is higher than in other portions, which allows the strength to be maintained when the top panel 23 and the rear panel 21 rotate.

[0083] (1-7) The upper plate 23, the connecting plate 22, and the rear plate 21 that constitute the main body 20 are formed from a single hollow plate material 1. This simplifies the structure of the main body 20. Furthermore, the manufacturing process of the main body 20 can be simplified.

[0084] (1-8) The side panel 31 can be folded by the side hinge portion 32 into an upper half portion 31a and a lower half portion 31b. Therefore, the side panel 31 can be made compact.

[0085] (1-9) The main body 20 and the side panel 31 are attached by open fasteners 41, 42, and 43. The open fasteners 41, 42, and 43 have male fasteners 41a, 42a, and 43a and female fasteners 41b, 42b, and 43b, respectively. By combining these fasteners, the partition 10 can change shape between a used state and a non-used state.

[0086] Therefore, the partition 10 has a simple structure and can be easily changed in shape, resulting in a user-friendly partition 10. (1-10) A urethane sheet is bonded to the main body 20 and the side panel 31.

[0087] Therefore, sound absorption properties are imparted to the partition 10, and sound leakage from the internal space of the partition 10 to the outside is suppressed. (Second embodiment) Next, a partition 50 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The partition 50 according to the second embodiment is also placed on a desk (not shown) to partition a private space for work or study. The following description will focus on the differences from the partition 10 according to the first embodiment.

[0088] 10 to 12, the partition 50 includes a main body 60 and a pair of side panels 71. The main body 60 is integrally formed with a rear panel 61, a connecting panel 62, and a top panel 63. The pair of side panels 71 are also integrally formed with the main body 60.

[0089] The rear panel 61, the connecting panel 62, and the top panel 63 are each formed in a rectangular shape. The rear panel 61 does not have a hinge portion corresponding to the first hinge portion 24 of the partition 10 of the first embodiment. The connecting panel 62 does not have a hinge portion corresponding to the second hinge portion 25 of the partition 10 of the first embodiment. The top panel 63 does not have a hinge portion corresponding to the third hinge portion 26 of the partition 10 of the first embodiment. In other words, the rear panel 61, the connecting panel 62, and the top panel 63 are formed in a flat plate shape.

[0090] 10, when the partition 50 is in use, the connecting plate 62 extends perpendicular to the rear panel 61. In other words, when in use, the connecting plate 62 extends horizontally. The connecting plate 62 also extends so as to be flat together with the top panel 63.

[0091] A rear hinge portion 64 extending in the width direction is formed between the rear plate 61 and the connecting plate 62. The rear hinge portion 64 is formed over the entire width direction length between the rear plate 61 and the connecting plate 62. An upper hinge portion 65 extending in the width direction is formed between the connecting plate 62 and the upper plate 63. The rear hinge portion 64 and the upper hinge portion 65 have the same shape as the first hinge portion 24 of the first embodiment. The same applies to side hinge portions 66, 72, 73 described later.

[0092] 10 and 13, a handle 67 is attached to the rear panel 61 and the top panel 63. The handle 67 is sewn to the surface of the fabric material that constitutes the rear panel 61 and the top panel 63 by a stitched portion 67a at the end of the handle 67. The handle 67 is rotatable relative to the stitched portion 67a.

[0093] 10 and 11, the side panel 71 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape. The side panel 71 is formed integrally with the rear panel 61. A side hinge portion 66 extending in the vertical direction is formed between the side panel 71 and the rear panel 61. The side hinge portion 66 is formed over the entire length of the side panel 71 in the vertical direction. The side panel 71 is rotatable relative to the rear panel 61 by the side hinge portion 66.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 11 , side hinge portions 72, 73 extending in the up-down direction are formed in the middle portion of the side panel 71 in the front-to-rear direction. One side hinge portion 72 is formed at the rear end portion of the side panel 71. The other side hinge portion 73 is formed in the center portion in the front-to-rear direction between the front edge of the side panel 71 and the side hinge portion 72. The portion of the side panel 71 forward of the side hinge portion 73 is referred to as a front portion 71a, the portion between the side hinge portions 72 and 73 is referred to as a rear portion 71b, and the portion rearward of the side hinge portion 72 is referred to as a connecting portion 71c. The front portion 71a is rotatable relative to the rear portion 71b by the side hinge portion 73. The rear portion 71b is rotatable relative to the connecting portion 71c by the side hinge portion 72.

[0095] As shown in Figure 10, male fasteners 68 serving as hook-and-loop fasteners are attached to the front end of the top panel 63, at both widthwise ends. A female fastener 69a serving as hook-and-loop fastener is attached to the front end of the side panel 71, at the upper end of the front side portion 71a. A female fastener 69b serving as hook-and-loop fastener is attached to the rear end of the side panel 71, at the lower end of the connecting portion 71c. In Figure 10, the right end of the right-side male fastener 68 is shown raised to make the female fastener 69a easier to see.

[0096] Next, a method for manufacturing the partition 50 will be described. When manufacturing the partition 50 of the second embodiment, a hollow board material 1 is prepared, which is cut into a shape in which the main body 60 and the side panels 71 are integrated. In this case, the hollow board material 1 has a shape in which the main body 60 is unfolded in a plane and the side panels 71 are connected to both widthwise ends of the rear panel 61.

[0097] The heating and press-molding processes are carried out in the same manner as in the first embodiment, except that the main body 60 and side panel 71 are molded as a single unit at one time. The mold used in the press-molding process has ridges formed thereon for forming the hinge portions 64, 65, 66, 72, and 73. In the post-processing process, a urethane sheet is bonded to the intermediate body and covered with a fabric material, after which a handle portion 67 is sewn on, and male zipper 68 and female zippers 69a and 69b are sewn on.

[0098] Next, the usage of the partition 50 and its function will be explained. 10 to 12, the main body 60 is rotated at the rear hinge portion 64 to hold the rear plate 61, the connecting plate 62, and the top plate 63 in a state where they are approximately perpendicular to each other. Next, the side plate 71 is rotated at the side hinge portion 66 to position the side plate 71 in a state where it is approximately perpendicular to the rear plate 61. Then, the male fastener 68 is joined to the female fastener 69a attached to the front portion 71a of the side plate 71.

[0099] In this way, the partition 50 in use is formed, having a box-shaped internal space surrounded by the rear panel 61, the top panel 63, the connecting panel 62, and the side panels 71. In use, the side panels 71 support the top panel 63 at their upper end surfaces.

[0100] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 , to put the partition 50 into an unused state after use, the male fastener 68 is removed from the female fastener 69a. Next, the side panel 71 is rotated at the side hinge portions 72 and 73 to fold the front portion 71a and the rear portion 71b. At this time, the folded front portion 71a and rear portion 71b are positioned opposite the rear panel 61 with a gap equal to the longitudinal length of the connecting portion 71c, as shown in FIG. 14 . Next, the top panel 63 is rotated at the top hinge portion 65 so that it is approximately perpendicular to the connecting plate 62. In this state, the male fastener 68 is joined to the female fastener 69b attached to the connecting portion 71c of the side panel 71. As a result, as shown in FIG. 13 , the main body 60 becomes box-shaped, forming a storage space inside. The folded side panel 31 is placed inside the storage space.

[0101] 13, the partition 50 can be carried as a single unit by compactly shaping the main body 60 and the side panel 71. When carrying the partition 50, the handle 67 can be rotated at the stitching 67a so that it projects from the main body 60, allowing the partition 50 to be carried by holding the handle 67.

[0102] According to the partition 50 of the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained: Note that the effects (1-5), (1-6), and (1-8) of the partition 10 of the first embodiment can also be obtained.

[0103] (2-1) The partition 50 comprises a main body 60 having a rear panel 61, a connecting plate 62, and a top panel 63, and side panels 71 integrally connected to the main body 60, and is capable of changing its shape between a used state and a non-used state. In the non-used state, the rear panel 61 and the top panel 63 are arranged opposite each other with a gap between them, with the connecting plate 62 sandwiched between them, forming a storage space between the rear panel 61 and the top panel 63.

[0104] Therefore, the pair of folded side panels 71 can be stored inside the storage space, making the partition 50 compact and easy to move to another location. This results in a partition 10 that is easy to carry when not in use.

[0105] (2-2) The rear plate 61 and the upper plate 63 each have a handle 67 formed thereon. This makes it more convenient to carry the partition 50 when not in use.

[0106] (2-3) The rear plate 61 and the connecting plate 62 are rotatably connected by a rear hinge portion 64. The upper plate 63 and the connecting plate 62 are rotatably connected by an upper hinge portion 65.

[0107] Therefore, the shape can be easily changed from the use state to the non-use state and from the non-use state to the use state. (2-4) The side plate 71 is rotatably connected to the rear plate 61 of the main body 60 .

[0108] Therefore, the side panel 71 can be folded and stored inside the storage space, which is convenient as it can be carried around with the side panel 71 stored. (2-5) The main body 60 and the side panel 71 are formed from a single hollow plate material 1.

[0109] This simplifies the structure of the partition 50. Furthermore, the manufacturing process of the partition 50 can be simplified. (2-6) The main body 60 and the side panel 71 are joined together by a male fastener 68 and female fasteners 69a and 69b.

[0110] Therefore, the partition 50 has a simple structure and can be easily changed in shape, resulting in a user-friendly partition 50. The above-described embodiments can be modified as follows: The embodiments and the following modifications can be combined with each other within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0111] In the partition 10 of the first embodiment, the connecting plate 22 in the used state extends in the vertical direction, but it may also extend perpendicular to the rear panel 21 together with the top panel 23. In this case, in the used state, the height of the partition 10 is reduced by the vertical length of the connecting plate 22, and the length in the front-to-rear direction is increased.

[0112] Similarly, in the partition 50 of the second embodiment, the connecting plate 62 in the used state may be provided upright in the vertical direction together with the rear panel 61. In this case, in the used state, the height of the partition 10 increases by the vertical length of the connecting plate 22, and the length in the front-to-rear direction decreases.

[0113] At least one of the first hinge portion 24, second hinge portion 25, third hinge portion 26, rear hinge portion 27, top hinge portion 28, and side hinge portion 32 of the partition 10 of the first embodiment may be a hinge member made of resin. For example, if the top hinge portion 28 is a hinge member made of resin, the top plate 23 and connecting plate 22, which are formed separately, are connected by a hinge member made of resin. In this case, the top hinge portion 28 is configured as a hinge member made of resin, rather than a recessed strip with a triangular cross section. Note that metal hinge members may also be used.

[0114] This also applies to the hinge portions 64, 65, 66, 72, and 73 of the partition 50 of the second embodiment. The hinge portions 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 32 of the first embodiment do not have to have a triangular cross section. For example, they may be formed by half-cutting, which is formed by pressing a cutting blade against the skin layer 3 side of the hollow plate 1. For example, if the first hinge portion 24 is half-cut, the bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21 can rotate relative to the main body portion 21a, using the half-cut as a rotation axis. Note that if the first hinge portion 24 is half-cut, the half-cut is formed by pressing a cutting blade against the surface opposite to the surface on which the triangular cross-sectional recessed ridge is formed. The same applies to the hinge portions 25, 26, 27, 28, and 32 of the first embodiment and the hinge portions 64, 65, 66, 72, and 73 of the second embodiment.

[0115] Although the hinge portions 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 32 of the first embodiment are formed by clamping a mold with a ridge having a triangular cross section, the ridge does not have to have a triangular cross section. For example, in the case of the first hinge portion 24, the shape of the ridge is not particularly limited as long as the bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21 can rotate relative to the main body portion 21a. The same applies to the other hinge portions 25, 26, 27, 28, and 32 and the hinge portions 64, 65, 66, 72, and 73 of the second embodiment.

[0116] In the partition 10 of the first embodiment, the main body 20 and the side panel 31 are attached by open fasteners 41, 42, and 43, but this is not limiting. They may also be attached by hook-and-loop fasteners or buttons. Furthermore, as in the partition 50 of the second embodiment, the main body 20 and the side panel 31 may be integrally formed.

[0117] The bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22 of the partition 10 in the first embodiment may be omitted. In the first embodiment, when the partition 10 is not in use, the pair of detached side panels 31 are stored in the storage space inside the box-shaped main body 20, but this is not limiting. The main body 20 and the side panels 31 may be stored or carried separately without storing the side panels 31 in the storage space.

[0118] The partition 10 of the first embodiment may be provided with a handle 67 similar to that of the partition 50 of the second embodiment. Also, the handle 67 of the partition 50 of the second embodiment may be omitted.

[0119] In the partitions 10 and 50 of the above embodiments, when in use, the side panels 31 and 71 extend perpendicular to the rear panels 21 and 61 at both widthwise ends, but this does not necessarily have to be the case. For example, the distance between the pair of side panels 31 and 71 may be wider or narrower toward the front.

[0120] The connecting plates 22, 62 may be curved rather than flat. The main body 20 and side panel 31 of the first embodiment may be composed only of the hollow plate material 1. At least one of the urethane sheet and the fabric covering the exterior may be omitted. The same applies to the main body 60 and side panel 71 of the second embodiment.

[0121] The main body 20 and the side panel 31 of the first embodiment may be formed of a solid plate material instead of the hollow plate material 1. The same applies to the main body 60 and the side panel 71 of the second embodiment.

[0122] In the partition 50 of the second embodiment, the main body 60 and the side panel 71 are integrally formed, but this is not limited to this. As in the partition 10 of the first embodiment, they may be connected with an open zipper. They may also be attached with hook-and-loop fasteners or buttons.

[0123] The male fasteners 68 of the partition 50 of the second embodiment may be attached to multiple locations in the front-to-rear direction of the top panel 63. In this case, the female fasteners 69a may be attached to multiple locations in the front-to-rear direction of the upper end of the side panel 71, and the female fasteners 69b may be attached to multiple locations in the up-down direction of the connecting portion 71c of the side panel 71.

[0124] The rear hinge portion 64 does not have to be formed between the rear panel 61 and the connecting plate 62 of the partition 50 of the second embodiment. In other words, the rear panel 61 and the connecting plate 62 may be joined so that they are perpendicular to each other. In this case, in the press molding process, the hollow plate material 1 is heated and bent at a right angle in the recessed portion that corresponds to the rear hinge portion 64 while the thermoplastic resin is thermally molten. When cooled and solidified, the rear panel 61 and the connecting plate 62 are joined at right angles.

[0125] In the partition 50 of the second embodiment, the side panels 71 are connected to both widthwise edges of the rear panel 61, but this does not necessarily have to be at both edges. They may also be connected to positions displaced toward the center from both widthwise edges of the rear panel 61.

[0126] In the manufacturing method for the partition 10 of the first embodiment, the hollow plate 1 is cut into a predetermined shape and then molded in a mold after a heating process. However, the manufacturing method is not limited to this. The hollow plate 1 does not have to be molded in a mold. For example, when manufacturing the main body 20, the outer periphery of the main body 20 is cut with a cutting blade. This includes the cut portion between the bent portion 21b of the rear panel 21 and the bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22, and the cut portion between the bent portion 22b of the connecting plate 22 and the bent portion 23b of the top panel 23. Then, a heating rod is used to form recesses that will become the hinge portions 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28. The same applies to the side panel 31 and the partition 50 of the second embodiment.

[0127] In the manufacturing method of the partition 10, the end surface of the intermediate body may be treated after the press molding process. End surface treatment is preferably performed when the hollow plate material 1 is not covered with a fabric material. Because the intermediate body is a hollow structure with cells S formed inside, the internal space of the cells S is exposed at the end surface. When the fabric material of the main body 20 and side panels 31 of the partition 10 is omitted, end surface treatment can be performed to prevent this internal space from being exposed.

[0128] The edge treatment can be performed, for example, as follows: A heating rod (not shown) is pressed against the entire periphery of the edge of the intermediate body after the press molding process. The heating rod heats and melts the thermoplastic resin that makes up the intermediate body and crushes it, forming a thin-walled portion around the entire periphery of the edge of the intermediate body, where the core layer 2 and skin layers 3 and 4 that make up the hollow plate material 1 are integrated. Next, the thin-walled portion is raised toward the core layer 2 and welded to the edge of the hollow plate material 1. As a result, the entire periphery of the edge of the intermediate body is sealed by the thin-walled portion, which is a strip-shaped plate material.

[0129] The same applies to the partition 50 of the second embodiment. In the post-processing step, the urethane sheet is first bonded to the intermediate body using an adhesive, but this is not limiting. For example, double-sided tape may be used for bonding.

[0130] The core layer 2 is not limited to being formed by folding a single sheet material 100. For example, the side walls of the cells may be formed by bending and arranging a plurality of strip-shaped sheets at predetermined intervals, and sheet layers may be arranged above and below these strip-shaped sheets to form the upper and lower walls of the cells.

[0131] In the above embodiments, the core layer 2 is partitioned into hexagonal prism-shaped cells S, but the shape of the cells S is not particularly limited. For example, the cells S may be polygonal, such as a square prism or an octagonal prism, or cylindrical. The cells S may also be frustoconical. In this case, cells of different shapes may be mixed. Furthermore, the cells do not have to be adjacent to each other, and gaps (spaces) may exist between the cells.

[0132] The core layer 2 is not limited to one in which columnar cells S are partitioned. For example, it may be one in which sheet layers are bonded to both the top and bottom surfaces of a core layer having a predetermined uneven shape. An example of a core layer having such a configuration is that described in JP 2014-205341 A. Alternatively, it may be a plastic cardboard with a harmonica-shaped cross section.

[0133] In the above embodiments, one sheet material 100 is folded and formed to form the core layer 2 as a honeycomb structure in which hexagonal cells S are partitioned inside the core layer 2, but the forming method is not limited to this. For example, as described in Japanese Patent No. 4368399, the core layer 2 as a honeycomb structure may be formed by sequentially folding a three-dimensional structure in which multiple rows of convex portions with trapezoidal cross sections are arranged.

[0134] The thermoplastic resins constituting the core layer 2 and the skin layers 3 and 4 may contain various functional resins. For example, adding a flame-retardant resin to a thermoplastic resin can improve flame retardancy. Various functional resins may be added to all of the core layer 2 and the skin layers 3 and 4, or may be added to at least one of the core layer 2 and the skin layers 3 and 4.

[0135] Although the skin layers 3 and 4 have a single-layer structure, they may have a multi-layer structure. The skin layers 3, 4 of the hollow plate 1 are made of a sheet material made of thermoplastic resin, but at least one of them can also be made of nonwoven fabric. When the skin layers 3, 4 are made of nonwoven fabric, one side can be coated with an adhesive layer made of a thermoplastic resin (e.g., polypropylene resin) and bonded to the core layer 2 via the adhesive layer. The nonwoven fabric that makes up the skin layers 3, 4 can be made of various conventionally known fibers, such as polyamide fiber, aramid fiber, cellulose fiber, polyester fiber, polyethylene fiber, polypropylene fiber, rayon fiber, and glass fiber. When both the skin layers 3, 4 are made of nonwoven fabric, the skin layers 3 and 4 may have the same or different configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0136] S...cell 1…Hollow plate material 10, 50…Partitions 20, 60...Main body 21, 61...Rear plate 22, 62...Connection plate 23, 63...Top plate 27, 64...Rear hinge 28, 65...Top hinge 31, 71...Side plate 67...Handle

Claims

1. A partition that is capable of changing its shape between a use state and a non-use state, the partition comprising: a main body having a rear panel, a top panel, and a connecting plate connecting the rear panel and the top panel; and a pair of side panels connected to the main body, the connecting plate and the upper surface plate are rotatably connected by an upper surface hinge portion, In the use state, the side panels are connected at their rear ends to both widthwise ends of the rear panel, and support the top panel at their upper ends. In the unused state, the rear panel and the top panel are rotated at the top hinge portion so that they face each other with a gap between them and sandwich the connecting plate, forming a box-like shape with a storage space formed between the rear panel and the top panel for storing the side panel; A partition characterized in that it is provided with fixing means for maintaining the spacing when in the unused state.

2. The main body and the side panels are formed of hollow plates made of thermoplastic resin with a plurality of cells arranged side by side inside, the rear plate and the connecting plate are rotatably connected by a rear hinge portion, the top hinge portion and the rear hinge portion are formed as recesses formed by thermally fusing a hollow plate material, the rear panel includes a main body portion and bent portions provided at both widthwise ends of the main body portion and rotatable relative to the main body portion; The side panel is detachably attached to the main body, 2. The partition according to claim 1, wherein when not in use, the partition has a box-like shape surrounded by the rear panel and the top panel.

3. The main body and the side panels are formed of hollow plates made of thermoplastic resin with a plurality of cells arranged side by side inside, the rear plate and the connecting plate are rotatably connected by a rear hinge portion, the top hinge portion and the rear hinge portion are formed as recesses formed by thermally fusing a hollow plate material, the side panel has a connecting portion rotatably connected to the main body, 2. The partition according to claim 1, wherein, when not in use, the partition has a box-like shape surrounded by the rear panel, the connecting portion, and the top panel.

4. 4. The partition according to claim 1, wherein the rear panel and the top panel each have a handle formed thereon.

Images