Small-room structure for indoor installation

Abstract

The present invention provides a small-room structure for indoor installation, easy to assemble and enabling disassembling without leaving any trace of mounting on the floor surface, ceiling, etc., in a large room, and capable of forming a small-room space designed to serve to the purpose of use or produce specific tastes, in prescribed space of a large room, beautifully and with a sense of luxury, by selecting unit components as required.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns a small-room structure for indoor installation, more specifically a small-room structure for indoor installation realized to be installed in a large room in a way to enable assembling and disassembling, as desired, so as to produce a small space adapted to specific purposes such as meditation, relaxation, seclusion, dressing/fitting, reading, lessons, etc.

[0002] Conventionally, there are cases where a plural number of tatami mats are laid at a corner of a large room, living room for example, to create an open Japanese room style space in only one section of a Western style room, to have a change in the taste of the room or, in the case of a store, etc., a small room protected from eyes in the surrounding area such as fitting room, dressing room, etc. is formed.

[0003] In that case, as a simple method, such small space or room used to be formed by placing partitions around the space concerned or formed in a permanent way by installing pillars, etc. in a large room and attaching interior materials, walls for example, provided with a gateway to them.

[0004] By the way, in said conventional case where tatami mats are placed in a large living room, the Japanese room style space produced on the floor surface did not have any function of a private room because the space is open without any partitioning walls, etc. in the surrounding area.

[0005] Moreover, a small room formed by placing partitions, etc. has an advantage of simplicity, but a problem was that it can hardly produce any atmosphere suitable to its purpose or lacks in elegance or sense of luxury, because the room is formed only with partitions and therefore not sufficiently isolated from the surrounding area.

[0006] Furthermore, the method of installing pillars, etc. in a room and providing them with interiors such as walls, etc. presented such problems as difficulty of execution of work, necessity of troublesome work for dismantling and removing the small room when it became useless, traces of mounting left on the floor surface, ceiling, etc. where the pillars, etc. were installed, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The objective of the present invention, realized in view of such problems with a conventional small rooms installed indoors, is to provide a small-room structure for indoor installation, easy to assemble and enabling disassembling without leaving any trace of mounting on the floor surface, ceiling, etc., in a large room, and capable of forming a small-room space designed to serve the purpose of use or produce specific tastes, in the prescribed space of a large room, beautifully and with a sense of luxury, by selecting unit components as required.

[0008] To achieve said objective, the small-room structure for indoor installation according to this first invention is characterized in that it is comprised of frame structures in a panel shape constituted by placing upper and lower frames between pillars facing each other, upper connecting and lower connecting frames forming a body structure by connecting between the frame structures installed face to face, a ceiling unit supported at the ceiling of said body structure, a floor surface unit composed of flooring material such as tatami mats, etc. supported by a bottom portion, and a side wall unit supported at the outer circumferential portion.

[0009] Moreover, to achieve the same objective, the small-room structure for indoor installation according to this second invention is characterized in that the ceiling unit constituting the ceiling of the small room, the floor surface unit constituting the floor surface and the side wall units constituting the side faces of the outer circumference are constituted with panels respectively, and that said panels are combined in such a way to constitute a small hexahedral room.

[0010] Furthermore, to achieve the same objective, the small-room structure for indoor installation according to this third invention is characterized in that it is comprised of a pillar member unit for assembling pillar members in the shape of a cross, a lintel member unit and a threshold member unit disposed at the top and bottom of this pillar member unit, a ceiling unit supported by either the pillar member unit or the lintel member unit, a floor surface unit supported by either the pillar member unit or the lintel member unit, and a side wall unit, constituting the side faces of the outer circumference of the small room supported by the lintel member unit.

[0011] In this case, the side wall unit may be supported by being hung on the lintel member unit.

[0012] And, in the small-room structure for indoor installation according to said first, second and third inventions, the side wall unit may be designed to be used selectively from among a fusuma (sliding door) unit, a shoji (sliding paper door) unit, and a board unit.

[0013] According to the small-room structure for indoor installation of the present invention, it becomes possible to easily form an independent small space suitable to specific purposes, and in a way to meet desired taste, by preparing all structural members constituting the small room in the form of units and assembling them in a large room, and to thus provide a variety of spaces in a building.

[0014] Moreover, this small-room structure for indoor installation, designed to be assembled without being fixed to the building, can be disposed of or moved to a desired position in a large room and, when it is not required, may be easily disassembled and removed, without leaving any trace of mounting there.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is an explanatory drawing showing the sequence of assembling, in the first embodiment of the small-room structure for indoor installation according to the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 is an explanatory drawing showing different embodiments of the shoji unit to be disposed between pillars.

[0017] FIG. 3 is an explanatory drawing showing different embodiments of the board unit to be disposed between pillars.

[0018] FIG. 4 is an explanatory drawing showing the side wall panels, in the second embodiment of the small-room structure for indoor installation according to the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 5 is an explanatory drawing of the floor surface panel for above.

[0020] FIG. 6 is an explanatory drawing of the ceiling surface panel for above.

[0021] FIG. 7 shows the third embodiment of the small-room structure for indoor installation according to the present invention, (A) being a front view and (B) a rear view.

[0022] FIG. 8 shows (A) a right side view and (B) a left side view for above.

[0023] FIG. 9 is an explanatory drawing of the assembling of the pillar members for above.

[0024] FIG. 10 shows (A) a plan view of the threshold member portion and (B) a plan view of the ceiling portion for above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Embodiments of the small-room structure according to the present invention will be described hereafter based on drawings.

[0026] The small-room structure for indoor installation according to the present invention, realized in a way to be assembled, is designed to provide a prescribed specific small space in a large space with a new added value and form, for example, a meditative space in an executive's room, a space for relaxation in an office room, a space for seclusion, a fitting room or dressing space in a store, a reading space in a living room, space for lessons, etc., though not restricted to such spaces, thus providing the small space concerned with an added value.

[0027] The large space in which to dispose this small-room structure for indoor installation may be either a Western style room or a Japanese style room if only it has a large living space, and the small-room structure may be assembled and installed freely and, when not required, disassembled and removed easily.

[0028] FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 show the first embodiment of the small-room structure for indoor installation according to the present invention.

[0029] The small space constituting this small room for indoor installation will be set in a way not to give any sense of incompatibility even when installed in a large room, and to be installed and disassembled easily, by being formed in a size about equal to the space of one to several tatami mats, though not particularly restricted.

[0030] This small-room structure for indoor installation comprises frame structures A constituted in rectangular shape by upper frame 2 to be placed at the top and lower frame 3 to be placed at the bottom between two pillars 1, 1 facing each other at prescribed interval, upper connecting frame 20 to be placed at the top and lower connecting frame 30 to be placed at the bottom for connecting between those frame structures A, A installed face to face, a floor surface unit 4 supporting the flooring material such as tatami mats, etc., a ceiling unit 5, and a fusuma unit 6, a shoji unit 7, a board unit 8 used as outer circumferential side wall unit.

[0031] The frame structure A is normally counted as one unit in a size equal to that of one tatami mat, and 2 pieces of this frame structure A are usually used to be placed on the left and right sides facing each other. In the case where the surface area of the small space is set about equal to that of 2 tatami mats, two pieces of this frame structure A are installed side by side, connected to each other by means of connecting devices such as bolts, etc. to constitute one side face, and 2 sets of such side face are constructed with 4 pieces in total of frame structure.

[0032] Moreover, the frame structures A will be realized in a construction enabling easy and quick assembling and disassembling, without requiring any specialized knowledge, by such means as fitting, screw fastening, bolting, etc. for example, though not particularly restricted to that construction.

[0033] The floor surface unit 4 supporting the flooring material such as tatami mats, etc. will be disposed in a way to be inserted in the bottom space of a body structure F constituted by frame structures A, A standing by simply being placed on the floor surface in a way to surround the prescribed small indoor space in a living space, etc., upper connecting frames 20 and lower connecting frames 30.

[0034] Furthermore, the ceiling unit 5 will be disposed at the top of the ceiling of the small room surrounded by the upper frame 2 and the upper connecting frames 20.

[0035] The fusuma unit 6, shoji unit 7 and board unit 8 will be disposed in a way to surround the frame structures A, A facing each other.

[0036] In this way, a prescribed small indoor space will be formed in a living space, etc. by assembling system.

[0037] In that case, pillars 1, upper frame 2 and lower frame 3 will be made of either wood, woodgrain metal or synthetic resin, colored or provided with a pattern, as required, and arranged in such a way that the pillars 1 and the upper frame 2, or the pillars 1 and the lower frame 3, may be combined with each other.

[0038] This combination will be made easily by forming a fastening groove on one side and a fastening segment on the other side of the members to be fit to each other respectively and fitting them to each other, and by enabling to fasten reinforcing bolts to this combined portion or fix them through a fixing tool 9, as required, though not particularly restricted to that construction.

[0039] The assembling process of pillars 1 and upper frame 2 or pillars 1 and lower frame 3 will be explained by taking for example the case of a small room having a surface area corresponding to that of one tatami mat indicated in FIG. 1.

[0040] In the first place, dispose the upper frame 2 at the top and the lower frame 3 at the bottom between the pillars 1, 1 facing each other at the front and rear parts, and connect them to the pillars 1, 1 to form a rectangular frame structure A.

[0041] Form 2 sets of this frame structure A so that they constitute the wall surfaces facing each other on the left and the right of the small-room structure.

[0042] Next, dispose those 2 sets of frame structure A, A at prescribed interval or a distance equal to the length of the floor surface unit, for example, dispose the upper connecting frames 20, 20 at the top and the lower connecting frames 30, 30 at the bottom between those frame structures A, A respectively, fasten the end part of the respective upper connecting frames 20 and lower connecting frames 30 mutually on the frame structure A side, and fasten and fix them to the pillars 1.

[0043] Connect the two frame structure A, A facing each other by means of the upper connecting frame 20 and the lower connecting frame 30 to constitute the body structure F of the small-room structure, enabling this body structure F to stand by itself by simply being placed on the floor at prescribed position in a large room.

[0044] This makes it possible to remove the small room easily and quickly, when it became useless, without leaving any trace on the floor surface.

[0045] Next, insert a floor unit 4, realized in a way to support a tatami mat 40 as flooring material, in the bottom space surrounded by 4 lower frames 3, 3 and the lower connecting frames 30, 30 by 2 frame structures A, A facing each other.

[0046] In that case, by making the outer shape of the floor unit 4 supporting a tatami mat 40 as flooring material agree with the shape of the space surrounded by the lower frames 3, 3 and the lower connecting frames 30, 30, it becomes possible to constitute the floor of the small-room structure supported on the floor face of the large room without any gap around the lower frames, by simply inserting the floor unit 4 in the space surrounded by the lower frames 3, 3.

[0047] Embed a desired tatami mat 40 in this floor unit 4, or use a unit provided with a tatami mat fit in advance.

[0048] Moreover, dispose a ceiling unit 5 on the ceiling face constituted with the upper frames 2, 2 and the upper connecting frames 20, 20 disposed in a way to surround the upper part between the 2 opposing frame structures A, A.

[0049] This ceiling unit 5 may be constructed in a way to be placed, or fastened by simply being placed, on the upper frame 2 and the upper connecting frame 20 combined in rectangular shape, and be realized in the form of a unit in which Japanese paper, etc. is stretched on the ceiling unit frame, to enable to intake light from the large room.

[0050] Furthermore, in that case, in place of Japanese paper to be attached to the ceiling unit 5, translucent synthetic resin board or glass sheet may also be used and, though not particularly restricted, such translucent synthetic resin board or glass sheet may be flat or have a curved face as illustrated or be made in other shapes.

[0051] This ceiling unit 5 may be constructed integrally by disposing a plurality of small segments side by side or realized as a single frame structure.

[0052] Between the pillars 1, 1 facing each other at the front and rear parts of the frame structure A and between the pillars 1, 1 in transversal direction between the opposing frame structures A, A may be disposed selectively one or no less than 2 items of the fusuma unit 6, shoji unit 7 and board unit 8 as outer circumferential side wall units, as desired.

[0053] As described above, the formed small space becomes a partitioned independent space, in a large room, by partitioning in a way to surround the outer circumferential face of the space surrounded by the pillars 1, 1.

[0054] While the fusuma unit 6, shoji unit 7 and board unit 8 are disposed between the pillars 1, 1 of the small space surrounded by the pillars, upper frame and lower frame, they may be selected freely according to the user's taste, so that the small room may become a space suitable to the purpose of use of the room.

[0055] Still more, on the upper and lower frames 2, 3 and the upper and lower connecting frames 20, 30, form a groove in which to slidably insert the fusuma unit 6 and the shoji unit 7 in two ways respectively.

[0056] This fusuma unit 6 may use 2 or 4 pieces as a unit, so that it may be opened and closed in two ways between the pillars 1, 1 facing each other.

[0057] Yet more, this fusuma unit 6 will be selectable as desired from among a plurality of types in different patterns and colors.

[0058] Moreover, the shoji unit 7 will be used in units of 2 or 4 pieces, in the same way as the fusuma unit 6, so that it may be opened and closed in two ways between the pillars 1, 1 facing each other.

[0059] Furthermore, this shoji unit 7 will have such patterns and shapes as indicated in FIG. 2, selectable as desired.

[0060] Still more, the board unit 8, which is to be disposed together with the fusuma unit 6 and the shoji unit 7 or in place thereof between the pillars 1, 1 facing each other, will have a variety of constructions as shown in FIG. 3 such as one provided with a shelf or decorative shelf 80, one having an open/close door 81, one comprising a desk 83 with a lighting hole 82 in the wall, etc., for example, selectable as desired, though not restricted to such constructions.

[0061] The tatami support 4 will also be colored to match the pillars and other members, as required.

[0062] In this small-room structure for indoor installation, a small room can be disposed easily by assembling system, at a corner of a large Western style room or in other indoor space and, by providing the respective members constituting the small room such as pillars 1, upper frame 2, upper connecting frame 20, lower frame 3 and lower connecting frame 30 in a plurality of patterns and colors and by selectively combining them with fusuma unit 6, shoji unit 7 and board unit 8, it becomes possible to make the small room as a pleasant and playful space provided with utterly new functions and purposes.

[0063] Yet more, since a small room can be formed in the living space freely according to the user's purpose, taste, etc., it may be used for many different purposes such as personal space for meditation, space for relaxation, space for seclusion, tearoom, space for lessons, etc., or even as pretty fitting room or dressing space in a store, thus rousing creative mind of the user and presenting infinite potentialities full of individuality.

[0064] Next, FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 show the second embodiment of the small-room structure for indoor installation according to the present invention.

[0065] In this small-room structure for indoor installation, the surfaces constituting the small room are all composed of a single panel respectively, namely the side wall unit forming the 4 outer circumferential side faces with side wall panel P, the floor surface unit with floor panel T and the ceiling unit with ceiling panel C, and those panels P, T, C are combined properly in various ways to form a hexahedral small room.

[0066] This side wall panel P of the side wall unit forming the outer circumferential side faces may have various forms as shown in FIG. 4, such as glass screen P1 integrally formed by surrounding a sheet glass with aluminium frame on four sides, Japanese style side wall panel P2 partially comprising a built-in shoji, Japanese style side wall panel P3, earth wall with round window hole P4, or panel provided with gateway such as shoji, fusuma, etc. (not illustrated), etc. One or no less than 2 of them will be combined to form 4 outer circumferential side faces, and the joint parts of the respective panels will be connected and fastened by bolting or by using some proper joining tools or devices.

[0067] Moreover, the floor panel T of the floor surface unit may be provided with tatami as in the first embodiment, but may also be realized as tatami floor having a partial panel portion and pebbles on the outer circumference as shown in FIG. 5.

[0068] This floor panel T, which is not particularly restricted, may be provided in genuine Japanese style or in other forms adopted as desired.

[0069] Said side wall panel P will be disposed along the 4 sides of this floor surface panel T, and removably jointed to the respective side wall panels P.

[0070] Furthermore, the ceiling surface panel C may be realized by fitting glass with Japanese paper in a ceiling frame formed on four sides and in the shape of a grille, as shown in FIG. 6, enabling to take in light from the ceiling surface while stressing the Japanese style, but this design is not limitative and the design indicated in said first embodiment or various other designs may also be adopted.

[0071] Next, FIG. 7 to FIG. 10 show the third embodiment of the small-room structure for indoor installation according to the present invention.

[0072] This small-room structure for indoor installation, to be disposed on the floor surface of a large room, is constituted as a hexahedral small room, by combining a base unit D supporting the entire small room, a threshold member unit R disposed and supported horizontally on this base in the shape of a square or rectangle according to the shape of the small room, a pillar member unit H using 2 sets of gate-shaped pillar member H1 put up on this threshold member unit and combined in the shape of a cross, a lintel member unit Q supported by this pillar member unit H and disposed in a way to face said threshold member unit R, a side wall unit W disposed between the lintel member unit Q and the threshold member unit R in a way to be hung and supported on this lintel member unit Q, a ceiling panel C supported on either the pillar member unit H or the lintel member unit Q, and a gateway member G in unit type forming a gateway in part of the side wall unit W.

[0073] This base unit D is composed of square timber, etc. disposed on the floor surface of a large room, and on this base unit is disposed and supported the threshold member unit R horizontally in a way to be combined in the shape of a square or rectangle. This threshold member unit R, adjusted to the shape and size of the small room to be formed, may be formed in a size equal to a surface area of 2 tatami mats as shown in the drawing, for example, though not particularly restricted to it.

[0074] In the inner circumferential part of the threshold member unit R are placed tatami mats, in the same way as in said first embodiment and second embodiment. In addition, pebbles, etc. may also be placed between this tatami floor and the threshold member unit R, as required.

[0075] The pillar member unit H to be put up on the threshold member unit R or base unit D is formed by using 2 sets of gate-shaped pillar member H1 and combining them in the shape of a cross.

[0076] In this case, 2 sets of gate-shaped pillar member H1, H1, which may also be disposed at equal intervals mutually, are combined in such a way that the distances from the combined position to the left and right ends are different from each other in the illustrated example of execution.

[0077] On the pillar member unit H combined in the shape of a cross are mounted the lintel member unit Q and the ceiling panel C, and is also mounted the side wall unit W in a way to be hung from it.

[0078] The ceiling panel C is provided at a position either equal to or higher than the position of the lintel member unit Q.

[0079] The lintel member unit Q is constructed by combining horizontally in the shape of a square or rectangle, in the same way as the threshold member unit R, facing the threshold member unit R from top to bottom.

[0080] The side wall unit W is disposed between the lintel member unit Q and the threshold member unit R thus disposed face to face with each other at the top and the bottom. This side wall unit W is mounted in a way to hang from the lintel member unit Q, and fastened at the bottom end to the threshold member unit R, to thereby stretch the side wall unit W between the lintel member unit Q and the threshold member unit R.

[0081] There are cases where the pillar member unit H is also fastened, on the surface at which (the side wall unit W) is in contact with the pillar member unit H.

[0082] Though not particularly restricted, this side wall unit W is mainly composed of Japanese paper as illustrated, formed in a flat screen type or folded in the form of an accordion, and is used either independently as screen type or accordion type or by combining them in a proper way as shown in the drawing.

[0083] Moreover, in part of the surrounding walls is formed a gateway, which is formed by mounting a gateway member unit G in unit type on the pillar member unit H.

[0084] This gateway member unit G is constituted by disposing a door slidably in the gateway frame Ga such as sliding door Gb, for example.

[0085] This gateway frame Ga is installed at prescribed position of the pillar member unit H and the threshold member unit R. And at the top of this gateway frame Ga is stretched a side wall unit W of either screen type or accordion type.

[0086] As the ceiling panel C, a type same as that indicated in the first and second embodiments may be adopted, but a type made by stretching Japanese paper on a frame material may also be adopted, in the same way as the side wall unit W, though not particularly restricted to such types.

[0087] As described above, use of Japanese paper in the construction of side wall unit W and ceiling panel C enables to realize a small room which is lightweight and having a more unique taste.

[0088] Explanation has so far been given on the small-room structure for indoor installation according to the present invention based on a plurality of embodiments. However, the present invention is not restricted to the constructions described in said embodiments, but may be changed in its construction in various ways as desired, by combining the constructions described in the respective embodiments as required, as far as it does not deviate from the main purpose of the invention.

Claims

1. A small-room structure for indoor installation comprised of frame structures in a panel shape constituted by placing upper and lower frames between pillars facing each other, upper and lower connecting frames forming a body structure by connecting between the frame structures installed face to face, a ceiling unit supported at the ceiling of said body structure, a floor surface unit comprised of flooring material such as tatami mats, etc. supported by a bottom portion, and a side wall unit supported at the outer circumferential portion.

2. A small-room structure for indoor installation characterized in that the ceiling unit constituting the ceiling of the small room, the floor surface unit constituting the floor surface and the side wall units constituting the side faces at the outer circumference are all constituted with panels, and that said panels are combined in such a way as to constitute a hexahedral small room.

3. A small-room structure for indoor installation comprised of a pillar member unit for assembling pillar members in the shape of a cross, a lintel member unit and a threshold member unit disposed at the top and bottom of this pillar member unit, a ceiling unit supported by either the pillar member unit or the lintel member unit, a floor surface unit supported by either the pillar member unit or the lintel member unit, and a side wall unit, constituting the side faces of the outer circumference of the small room supported by the lintel member unit.

4. A small-room structure for indoor installation as defined in claim 3, wherein the side wall unit is supported by being hung on the lintel member unit.

5. A small-room structure for indoor installation as defined in claims 1, wherein the side wall unit is used selectively from among a fusuma unit, a shoji unit, and a board unit.

6. A small-room structure for indoor installation as defined in claims 2, wherein the side wall unit is used selectively from among a fusuma unit, a shoji unit, and a board unit.

7. A small-room structure for indoor installation as defined in claims 3, wherein the side wall unit is used selectively from among a fusuma unit, a shoji unit, and a board unit.

8. A small-room structure for indoor installation as defined in claims 4, wherein the side wall unit is used selectively from among a fusuma unit, a shoji unit, and a board unit.