TEMPORARY FURNITURE

Abstract

To provide a preferable piece of temporary furniture which is less burdensome with respect to preparation, assembly and the like, and which is not subject to the problem of size mismatch between a piece of furniture and a partition. A partition-equipped bed 1, which is a piece of temporary furniture suitable for emergency use, comprises a partition and a piece of furniture which are both made of corrugated boards and are connected together. The entire partition-equipped bed 1 can be folded into a flat shape, and can be opened up from the folded state into a three-dimensional shape in the manner of a pop-up book, thus forming a partition-equipped piece of furniture that stands on the floor.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to temporary furniture including a bed, a toilet, etc., which is suitable for emergency use in a shelter or the like in time of disaster.

BACKGROUND ART

When disaster such as an earthquake or typhoon occurs, a facility such as a gymnasium of a school is used as a shelter. In such a shelter, partitions (enclosures) are provided to protect the privacy of evacuees, and temporary furniture for temporary use such as beds and toilets is provided.

At a shelter or the like, corrugated board beds and the like may be provided as temporary furniture for emergency use. Corrugated board is a lightweight and low cost material, and excellent in heat insulating performance. Further, it is not difficult to utilize a corrugated board to achieve sufficient strength to support the weight of a person. Thus, corrugated board is used not only for beds but also for clothes storage boxes, desks, etc. Furthermore, a partition made of a corrugated board is often used.

Corrugated board beds and partitions suitable for emergency use are disclosed in PTLs 1 and 2 listed below, for example. The beds and partitions (screens) described in PTLs 1 and 2 are made of a corrugated board and are suitable for use in a shelter as described above, and can be set up or folded. Thus, such beds and partitions can be stored in a compact state when there is no disaster (i.e., while not being used by evacuees).

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

PTL 1: Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3137572

PTL 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-18102

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

PTLs 1 and 2 disclose a bed used as a temporary furniture article and a screen serving as a partition, which are separate articles. However, if a furniture article and a partition are separate articles as disclosed in PTLs 1 and 2, it is troublesome to prepare them because the same numbers of the partitions and furniture articles must be prepared. In addition, setting up partitions and furniture articles separately is burdensome. In addition, size mismatch problem between a furniture article and a partition is likely to occur. In other words, the dimensions of a furniture article such as a bed may not be proper for a space formed by a partition such as a screen.

The present invention provides a highly preferable temporary furniture article which is less burdensome with respect to preparation, setup and the like, and which can eliminate the problem of size mismatch between a furniture article and a partition.

Solution to Problem

A temporary furniture article according to the present invention is a temporary furniture article suitable for emergency use, including a partition and a furniture article each made of a corrugated board, and the partition and the furniture article form a one-piece configuration. The entirety of the temporary furniture article is foldable into a flat shape, and the temporary furniture article is configured to form, when unfolded from the folded state into a three-dimensional shape, a partition-equipped self-supporting furniture article configured to stand on a floor.

The temporary furniture article has the following advantages.

a) Since the temporary furniture article includes the partition and the furniture article forming a one-piece configuration, the temporary furniture article can be used by an evacuee or the like in a shelter or the like, and can protect the privacy of the evacuee.

b) The temporary furniture article made of a corrugated board is lightweight and can reduce cost. Further, the temporary furniture article exhibits excellent thermal insulation performance, and thus can keep an evacuee warm even in winter. The temporary furniture article is also preferable in terms of environmental protection (ecology) because the temporary furniture article can be recycled. Moreover, it is not difficult to make the temporary furniture article that has a necessary strength.

c) The temporary furniture article in a flatly folded state can be stored compactly in a facility designated as a shelter or the like, and when used, the temporary furniture article can be easily unfolded into a three-dimensional shape in a similar manner to a pop-up book to form a partition-equipped furniture article.

d) Since the furniture article and the partition form a one-piece configuration, the temporary furniture article can be easily arranged and prepared at a facility used as a shelter or the like. Further, it is also easy to put the temporary furniture article into a usable state in time of disaster or the like. There is no risk of size mismatch between the furniture article and the partition.

It is preferable that the temporary furniture article according to the invention includes

• • a plurality of flat boards each made of a corrugated board, the plurality of flat boards being joined together by intervening bend portions to form a one-piece configuration,
  • the plurality of flat boards includes a partition forming board for forming the partition and a furniture article forming board for forming the furniture article, and when the partition forming board is in a flatly folded state (that is, in a parallelly overlaid state) by being bent at the bend portion, the furniture article forming board is also in a flatly folded state and overlaid on the partition forming board by being bent at the bend portion, and
  • when the partition forming board is in a state of forming the partition by being unfolded, the partition stands on the floor in a self-supporting manner and the furniture article forming board which has been in the overlaid and flat state forms the furniture article having the three-dimensional shape (in other words, having the furniture article forming board in a three-dimensionally joined state as a result of the change of the bend angle at the bend portion).

A temporary furniture article illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 4C is configured as described above. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, partition forming boards 12 and 13 and a furniture article forming board 21 are formed by a plurality of flat corrugated boards A joined together by intervening bend portions B to form a one-piece configuration. In the state of FIG. 1A in which the partition forming boards are folded flat, the furniture article forming boards are also folded flat and overlaid on the partition forming boards. In the state of FIG. 3 in which the partition forming boards are unfolded, the partition stands on a floor in a self-supporting manner and the furniture article forming boards are unfolded into a three-dimensional shape, and as a result a furniture article is formed.

The entirety of the temporary furniture article with such a structure can be folded flat, and once unfolded from the folded state into a three-dimensional shape, the temporary furniture article becomes a partition-equipped furniture article that can stand on a floor in a self-supporting manner.

In the above temporary furniture article, it is preferable that

• • a plurality of the partition forming boards are joined together by intervening bend portions, and
  • the furniture article forming board includes a support leg forming board for forming a support leg of the furniture article and a seat board forming board to be placed on the support leg for forming a seat board of the furniture article, and each of the support leg forming board and the seat board forming board is joined foldably (and unfoldably into a three-dimensional shape) to one of the plurality of partition forming boards by a bend portion intervening therebetween.

Also in the temporary furniture article illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 2A and 2B, each of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 and a seat board forming boards 23 is foldably joined to one of the partition forming boards by a bend portion intervening therebetween.

Furniture articles such as beds and toilets include support legs for supporting the weight of a person and a seat board that is placed on the support legs and comes into contact with the body of the person. By using flat corrugated boards each having a bend portion to form the support leg forming boards for forming the support legs and the seat board forming board for forming the seat board, as described above, and foldably joining the support leg forming boards and the seat board forming board, it is possible to provide the above-described preferable temporary furniture article. In other words, the entirety of the temporary furniture article can be folded flat and can be unfolded from the folded state to form a three-dimensional partition-equipped furniture article.

It is especially preferable that

• • the support leg forming board is joined to one of the plurality of partition forming boards and includes a parallel board parallel to the partition forming board and a plurality of connecting boards parallel to each other and connecting the partition forming board and the parallel board, and the parallel board and the plurality of connecting boards form a parallel motion mechanism (specifically, a quadric crank chain forming a parallelogram, for example, a parallel crank mechanism) (and thus, the parallel board can be displaced while remaining in a state parallel to the partition forming board), and
  • the seat board forming board is joined to one of the plurality of partition forming boards in a manner that allows the seat board forming board to angularly displace from a state of being overlaid on a surface of the partition forming board to a state of being perpendicular to the partition forming board.

Also in the temporary furniture article illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the support leg forming board 21 is joined so as to form, together with the partition forming board 12, a parallel motion mechanism in a plan view, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, and the seat board forming board 23 is joined to a partition forming board 11 in an angularly displaceable manner, as illustrated in FIG. 2B.

Joining the support leg forming board and the seat board forming board to the partition forming boards in such a manner makes it possible to achieve both of the folded state and the unfolded state, as described above. Specifically, 1) in a state where the partition forming boards are folded flat, both the support leg forming board and the seat board forming board, which are the furniture article forming boards, are folded together with the partition forming boards and overlaid on the partition forming boards, and 2) in a state where the partition forming boards are unfolded, the furniture article forming boards form a three-dimensional furniture article in which the seat board forming board is placed on the unfolded support leg forming board.

As the temporary furniture article according to the invention, the following bed may be provided. Specifically, provided is a bed in which

• • the plurality of partition forming boards include one side wall board, a front wall board, and a rear wall board, each of the front wall board and the rear wall board being joined to one of opposite sides of the side wall board by a bend portion intervening therebetween,
  • the front wall board and the rear wall board each have a surface which is to be located on the inner side when the front wall board and the rear wall board are in a bent state and to which the support leg forming board is joined, and the side wall board has a surface which is to be located on the inner side when the side wall board is in a bent state and to which the seat board forming board is joined, and
  • when the plurality of partition forming boards are unfolded such that an included angle at each of the bend portions is 90 degrees (in other words, such that the boards are in an angular U-shaped joined state in a plan view), a) unfolding the support leg forming boards on the inner sides of the front wall board and the rear wall board, respectively, into a three-dimensional shape located to the side of the side wall board, and b) placing the seat board forming board on the unfolded support leg forming boards result in c) formation of a partition-equipped bed.

The furniture article illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 4C is a partition-equipped bed having the configuration. The partition forming boards are the side wall board 11 substantially longer than the average human height, and the front wall boards 12 and rear wall boards 13 located on both sides of the side wall board 11, which are joined together by bend portions intervening therebetween. Further, the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 are joined to the inner surfaces of the front wall board 12 and the rear wall board 13, respectively, and the seat board forming board 23 is joined to the inner surface of the side wall board 11.

The temporary furniture article (bed) can be folded flat together with the partition forming boards, and when the partition forming boards are unfolded such that the included angle at each of the bend portions is 90 degrees to form an angular U-shape in a plan view, the temporary furniture article can form a partition-equipped bed. In other words, as a result of unfolding the support leg forming boards and the seat board forming board from the folded state into a three-dimensional shape, a bed in which the support legs and the seat board placed thereon are arranged inside the angular U-shaped partition is formed. The process of transforming the temporary furniture article in the flatly folded state into the above-described bed is illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 3.

It is more preferable that in the above-described bed

• • one of the partition forming boards, specifically the front wall board or the rear wall board, is provided with a perforated line that allows forming an opening through which legs are to be put out, and the opening allows a tall user to lie down on the seat board (seat board forming board) placed on the support leg forming boards with his/her legs straighten.

It is advantageous to prepare the above-described furniture articles (beds) according to the invention mass-produced as furniture articles (beds) having the same size (for example, as beds in which the length of the side wall board, that is, the distance between the front wall board and the rear wall board is 180 cm). This is because mass production of furniture articles having the same size is advantageous in terms of cost, and it is convenient to prepare a large number of furniture articles having the same size in terms of operation of the shelter.

However, if furniture articles having the same size are provided, an evacuee taller than the interval of the partition may have difficulties with using the bed as it is. When the front wall board or the rear wall board is provided with a perforated line for forming an opening, as described above, such a tall person can use the perforated line to form an opening and put his/her legs out through the opening to lie down comfortably.

It is advantageous that in the above-described bed

• • the plurality of partition forming boards and the furniture article forming board in a flatly folded state are housed in a case made of a corrugated board,
  • the case is provided with a perforated line that allows a strip-shaped portion to be separated from the case for taking out of the content of the case (that is, the partition forming boards and furniture article forming board), and
  • the strip-shaped portion separated by using the perforated line is usable as a pillow for a user by being rolled up, and the case from which the portion has been separated is usable as a mattress to be laid on the seat board.

A case illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4C is an example formed base on such a concept. The partition forming boards and the furniture article forming boards can be housed in the case, and the case is provided with a perforated line that allows a strip-shaped part to be separated for ease of taking out the content of the case. Once the strip-shaped part is separated using the perforated line, the content can be easily taken out through an opening formed as a result of the separation. Then, the separated strip-shaped part can be rolled up for use as a pillow for an evacuee, and the rest of the case can be used as a mattress after size adjustment (for example, cutting).

Using the case for housing the partition forming boards and the furniture article forming boards makes it possible to facilitate storage of the folded bed in a facility to be used as a shelter, and increase usability when the bed is actually used by an evacuee. In other words, the ability of being used as a pillow as described above is preferable because evacuees rarely bring pillows to a shelter, and the case which can also be used as a mattress is advantageous because the mattress can increase the flatness in the top side of the seat board of the bed and improve heat insulation performance.

It is also preferable that, in the temporary furniture article according to the invention, which is a bed,

• • the front wall board and the rear wall board each have the surface which is to be located on the inner side and to which the support leg forming board is joined, and each of the support leg forming boards is provided with a slit extending downward from the upper edge thereof, and
  • when the plurality of partition forming boards are unfolded such that an included angle at each of the bend portions is 90 degrees and the support leg forming boards are unfolded on the inner sides of the front wall board and the rear wall board, respectively, a reinforcing board having a slit extending upward from the lower edge thereof is attached to the support leg forming boards by being inserted into the slits in the support leg forming boards.

A bed configured as such a temporary furniture article is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. The support leg forming boards 21 and 22 have slits 21x and 22x, respectively, which extend downward from the upper edges of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22, respectively. The slits 21x and 22x are used to attach reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26 each made of a corrugated board. The reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26 have slits 24x, 25x and 26x, respectively, which extend upward from the lower edges of the reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26, respectively.

As a result of attaching the reinforcing boards to the support leg forming boards, as described above, the mechanical strength of the support leg forming boards is increased, and thus the bed can more firmly support the weight of a person or the like.

Regarding the above reinforcing board, it is more preferable that

• • one or more of the reinforcing boards are attached to the support leg forming boards so as to extend from the support leg forming board joined to the inner side of the front wall board to the support leg forming board joined to the inner side of the rear wall board.

In the example of FIGS. 8 and 9, the reinforcing board 24 is attached by being inserted into the slits so as to extend from the support leg forming board 21 joined to the front wall board 12 to the support leg forming board 22 joined to the rear wall board 13.

When one or more of the reinforcing boards are inserted so as to extend from the support leg forming board joined to the front wall board to the support leg forming board joined to the rear wall board, these support leg forming boards are joined to each other by the reinforcing boards. As a result, the included angle at each of the bend portions in the partition forming boards can be kept at 90 degrees (in other words, the front wall board and the rear wall board can be fixed in parallel to each other), and thus in a shelter or the like, the temporary furniture article can be prevented from being deformed or expanding its occupied space.

It is also preferable that, in the temporary furniture article according to the invention, which is a bed,

• • the seat board forming board to be placed on the support leg forming boards is divided in the middle in the length direction.

In the temporary furniture article illustrated in FIGS. 10A, 10B, 11A and 11B, the seat board forming board 23 is divided into two parts in the length direction, by a split line 23x at the center, and is composed of two front and rear seat board forming boards 23a and 23b.

Dividing the seat board forming board for forming a part of the bed on which a person lies down, as described above, has the following merits.

i) A space between the plurality of boards in the support leg forming board can be used for storing daily necessities or the like. The seat board forming board divided as described above makes it possible to easily put the daily necessities or the like, in and out from the space. This is because after bedclothes such as a comforter, a blanket, etc. normally placed on the seat board forming board is moved onto one of the seat board forming boards separated from each other, the other of seat board forming boards can be easily opened upward such that the space is opened.

ii) It is possible to increase flexibility as to the way of folding when the bed as a temporary furniture article is folded flat before and after use. When the seat board forming board is not divided, the bed as a temporary furniture article has no choice but to be folded into the shape as illustrated in FIG. 1A. However, when the seat board forming board is divided as illustrated in FIG. 10A, the bed can also be folded into the shape illustrated in FIG. 11B through the states of FIGS. 10B and 11A. The ability of being folded into such a shape allows a more compact configuration as compared to the case of FIG. 1A, and thus is advantageous in regard to storage in a facility used as a shelter.

As the temporary furniture article according to the invention, the following toilet may be provided. Specifically, provided is a toilet in which

• • the plurality of partition forming boards are four wall boards joined together by intervening bend portions, and the wall boards are configured to form, when an included angle of 90 degrees is formed at each of the bend portions and the outer edges of the wall boards at both ends are connected to each other, a partition providing surrounding on four sides (that is, a quadrangular partition in a plan view), and
  • the support leg forming board and the seat board forming board with an opening are joined to a surface of one of the wall boards that is a surface to be located on the inner side of the partition, and unfolding the support leg forming board into a three-dimensional shape and placing the seat board forming board on the support leg forming board result in formation of a partition-equipped toilet.

A temporary furniture article illustrated in FIGS. 5A to 7 is a partition-equipped toilet having such a configuration. Four wall boards which are the partition forming boards form a partition providing surrounding on four sides, and the support leg forming board and the seat board forming board with an opening are joined to the inner side of the partition. By unfolding the temporary furniture article from the folded state into a three-dimensional shape, it is possible to form a partition-equipped toilet.

Such a temporary furniture article (toilet) can be folded flat, together with the partition forming boards, and when the partition forming boards are unfolded to form a partition providing surrounding on four sides, a toilet can be formed inside the partition. The toilet has a three-dimensional shape in which a seat board with an opening is placed on a support leg. The process of transforming the temporary furniture article in the flatly folded state into the above-described partition-equipped toilet is illustrated in FIGS. 5A to 7. A bucket or a bag may be placed under the seat board of the toilet (inside the support leg forming board), and a coagulant for excretion may be placed inside the bucket or bag.

Effects of Invention

The temporary furniture article according to the present invention a) can be used as a furniture article for temporary living in a shelter or the like, and can protect user's privacy, b) is easy to handle and can reduce cost, due to the use of a corrugated board, c) can be stored compactly in a flatly folded state, and when used, can be easily and quickly transformed into a three-dimensional shape such that a user can start using it, and d) can be easily prepared without causing size mismatch between the furniture article and the partition, because the furniture article is integrated with the partition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a partition-equipped bed 1 as a first embodiment of a temporary furniture article according to the present invention, and illustrate, in order, a process of gradually unfolding the bed 1 from a folded and closed state to a three-dimensional shape.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating, in order, a process of further unfolding the partition-equipped bed 1 of FIG. 1A from the state of FIG. 1B to complete the three-dimensional shape.

FIG. 3 illustrates the partition-equipped bed 1 of FIG. 1A is in a state closer to the completed state than the state of FIG. 2B.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are perspective views of a case 30 suitable for housing the partition-equipped bed 1 of FIG. 1A in a folded state, and a strip-shaped piece 31 and the like to be separated from the case 30.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a partition-equipped toilet 41 as a second embodiment of a temporary furniture article according to the present invention, and illustrate, in order, a process of gradually unfolding the toilet 41 from a folded and closed state to a three-dimensional shape.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating, in order, a process of further unfolding the partition-equipped toilet 41 of FIG. 5A from the state of FIG. 5B to complete the three-dimensional shape.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the partition-equipped toilet 41 of FIG. 5A is in a state closer to the completed state than the state of FIG. 6B.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a partially modified example of the partition-equipped bed 1 of FIGS. 1A to 3. Reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26 to be incorporated into the bed 1 are also illustrated.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the bed 1 of FIG. 8 to which the reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26 are attached.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are perspective views of an example in which the partition-equipped bed 1 of FIGS. 1A to 3 is modified differently from the above examples. FIG. 10A illustrates a completed bed 1, and FIG. 10B illustrates a state in which the bed 1 begins to be folded.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the partition-equipped bed 1 of FIGS. 10A and 10B in a state of being further folded, and FIG. 11B is a front view of the bed 1 completely folded.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A partition-equipped bed 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 3 is a temporary furniture article made of a corrugated board, and is intended to be provided in a shelter or the like in time of disaster and for use by evacuees. The entirety of the partition-equipped bed 1 is foldable such that it can be stored conveniently when there is no disaster, and when used, the bed 1 can be unfolded into a three-dimensional shape. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the bed 1 is formed by a plurality of flat corrugated boards A joined together by intervening bend portions B to form a one-piece configuration, and thus the bed 1 can be transformed from a folded state into a three-dimensional shape. The bend portion B is an easy-to-bend portion formed as a thinly processed part of the corrugated board or a part made of an adhesive tape or the like connecting the flat boards.

The bed 1 illustrated in the figures is characterized in that the bed 1 includes a bed part serving as a furniture article and a partition for protecting privacy in a shelter which form a one-piece configuration, and when unfolded from the folded state, the bed 1 can be easily transformed into a three-dimensional shape, in a similar manner to a pop-up book.

The specific structure of the bed 1 and setup procedure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 3.

The bed 1 is configured such that the entire bed 1 can be folded flat as illustrated in FIG. 1A. Since the partition and the bed form a one-piece configuration, the bed 1 folded as illustrated in the figure includes partition forming boards 12 and 13 for forming a partition and furniture article forming boards 21 and 23.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the partition forming boards 12 and 13 are slightly unfolded to transform the folded bed 1 into a usable state. The furniture article forming boards 21 and 22 are attached to the inner sides of the partition forming boards 12 and 13, respectively, and the furniture article forming board 23 is attached to the inner side of the partition forming boards 11 located in the center.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the bed 1 which has been in a folded state is further unfolded and further transformed toward its three-dimensional shape. Each of the furniture article forming boards 21 and 22 is a part for forming a support leg of the bed 1 and can be referred to as a support leg forming board. Each of the furniture article forming boards (support leg forming boards) 21 and 22 is joined so as to form a so-called parallel motion mechanism in a plan view, and as a result, each of the furniture article forming boards 21 and 22 can be unfolded from a flatly folded state into a quadrangular shape in a plan view as illustrated in FIG. 2A. Specifically, each of parallel boards 21a and 21b parallel to the partition forming board 12 is joined by two connecting boards 21c and 21d parallel to each other, each of which connects the partition forming board 12 with the parallel boards 21a and 21b. Thus, the parallel boards 21a and 21b can be displaced parallelly with respect to the partition forming board 12. Similarly, the furniture article forming board (support leg forming board) 22 is joined to the partition forming board 13 so as to form a parallel motion mechanism.

FIG. 2B illustrates a state in which the partition forming boards 12 and 13 are unfolded so as to form a right angle with respect to the central partition forming board 11, and the furniture article forming boards 21 and 22 are unfolded into quadrangular shapes on the inner sides of the partition forming boards 12 and 13, respectively. In this state, the furniture article forming boards 21 and 22 may be joined and fixed to the partition forming boards 11 with an adhesive tape or the like.

In the bed 1 in the state of FIG. 2B, the furniture article forming board 23 joined via the bend portion B to a lower portion of the central partition forming board 11 is tilted inward in the direction of the arrows and placed on the furniture article forming boards 21 and 22. As a result, the partition-equipped bed 1 is completed as illustrated in FIG. 3. This is because placing the furniture article forming board (seat board forming board) 23 for forming a seat board, on the furniture article forming boards 21 and 22 which are the support leg forming boards, results in formation of a rectangular bed on which a person can lie down. Under the seat board forming board 23 forming the bed, a storage space for serving as a container is created between the support leg forming boards 21 and 22. In addition, the central partition forming board 11 serves as a side wall board, and the front and rear partition forming boards 12 and 13 serve as a front wall board and a rear wall board, respectively, and as a result, a partition for privacy protection is formed. The side wall board, the front wall board, and the rear wall board form an angular U-shaped partition surrounding the bed. However, when the same beds 1 are arranged in the front and rear direction and the left and right direction, private spaces are formed between the partitions of the adjacent beds 1.

In order to keep the bed 1 in the completed state, for example, tongues (not illustrated) provided in the front and rear parts of the seat board forming board 23 may be inserted into slits provided in the partition forming boards (front wall board and rear wall board) 12 and 13, or a side edge of the seat board forming board 23 bent downward may be inserted into grooves provided in the upper portions of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22.

It is advantageous in terms of cost reduction to mass-produce the partition-equipped beds 1 having the same size, for example, 180 cm in length, 80 cm in width, and 80 cm in height (height of the partition). However, even in that case, it is preferable that evacuees who are about 180 cm or more in height can lie down with their legs straighten.

In consideration of this point, as illustrated in FIG. 3, it is preferable to provide the partition forming board 13 which is the rear wall board, with a perforated line 13a for easily forming an opening through which legs can be put out.

It is preferable that the bed 1 before use which is in the folded state as illustrated in FIG. 1A is housed in a case 30 made of a corrugated board, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C. When the bed 1 is housed in the case 30, the folded bed 1 can be prevented from unfolding (expanding) on its own and becoming bulky.

The case 30 is provided with a perforated line 30a that allows the housed bed 1 to be easily taken out. It is preferable that the perforated line 30a is formed such that a strip-shaped piece having a constant width (about 30 cm) can be separated, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In this case, the separated strip-shaped pieces 31 can be rolled up as illustrated in FIG. 4C for use by an evacuee as a pillow. Further, it is preferable that the portion of the case 30 other than the strip-shaped piece 31 is placed on the furniture article forming board (seat board forming board) 23 of FIG. 3 and used as a mattress.

FIGS. 5A to 7 are perspective views illustrating a partition-equipped toilet 41 as an example of the temporary furniture article and a setup procedure thereof.

The toilet 41 is also made of a corrugated board, and includes a plurality of the flat boards A and the intervening bend portions B, as illustrated in FIG. 5A. The entirety of the toilet 41 can be folded for storage and, in case of emergency, the toilet 41 can be unfolded into a three-dimensional shape and used.

FIG. 5A illustrates a folded state in which a furniture article (toilet) forming board folded flat is sandwiched in between a plurality of partition forming boards 51, 52, etc. which are also folded flat.

FIG. 5B illustrates four partition forming boards 51 to 54 joined together to form a one-piece configuration, in a state of being unfolded by 180 degrees at the central bend portion B. Furniture article forming boards 61, 62, etc. for forming a toilet, are attached to the partition forming boards 53, which is one of the four partitioning members 51 to 54.

In FIG. 6A, the partition forming boards 51 to 54 are unfolded by 90 degrees at the bend portion B between the forming boards 52 and 53, and the furniture article forming board 61, etc. for the toilet that has been folded are slightly unfolded.

As the furniture article forming boards for forming the toilet, a support leg forming boards 61 for forming a support leg, a seat board forming board 62 with an opening for forming a seat board, and a cover forming board 63 to cover the seat board are attached to the partition forming board 53. Each of the seat board forming board 62 and the cover forming board 63 has an edge joined to the partition forming board 53, and can be angularly displaced from a state of being overlaid on the partition forming board 53 to a state perpendicular to the forming board 53. The support leg forming boards 61 are three flat boards joined together such that the support leg forming boards 61 and the partition forming board 53 can collectively form a box having a quadrangular cross section. As with the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 in the example of FIGS. 2A and 2B, the partition forming board 53 and the three support leg forming boards 61 form a parallel motion mechanism in a plan view.

In FIG. 6B, the support leg forming boards 61 for forming a toilet is sufficiently unfolded to form a box. On the support leg forming boards 61, there are the seat board forming board 62 and the cover forming board 63 for covering the forming board 61. Further, a bottom part board 64 for forming a bottom board is attached to the bottom part of each of the support leg forming boards 61. The bottom board is collectively formed by four boards. Each of the bottom part boards 64 is bendably joined to the lower end of a corresponding one of the flat boards forming the support leg forming boards 61, and when the support leg forming boards 61 are folded, the bottom part boards 64 are also folded flat together with the forming boards 61. In use as a toilet, if a container such as a bucket is placed inside the support leg forming boards 61, it is not always necessary to provide the bottom part boards 64.

The support leg forming boards 61 and the seat board forming board 62 have sufficient strength to support a person sitting thereon. For example, a bucket or a bag is placed under the seat board forming board 62, that is, inside the box-shaped support leg forming boards 61, and a coagulant for excretion is placed inside the bucket or bag.

Once the toilet part is completed, the partition forming boards 51 to 54 are bent such that an included angle at each of the bend portions is 90 degrees, and ends of the forming boards 51 and 54 at both ends are connected to each other. As a result, a partition providing surrounding on four sides is formed, as illustrated in FIG. 7. By providing the connected forming boards 51 and 54 one of which is openable with respect to the other, or an openable door part (not illustrated) in the forming board 51 or the like, the partition-equipped toilet 41 as a temporary furniture article is completed. In order to prevent the toilet 41 from moving on the floor on which the toilet 41 is placed, a weight (for example, a PET bottle containing water) may be attached to one of the partition forming boards 51 to 54.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a partially modified example of the partition-equipped bed 1 of FIGS. 1A to 3. In this example, the strength of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 is increased, and positional and angular fixation of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 can be achieved with a simple configuration.

Specifically, in this example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, slits 21x and 22x are formed in some of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22. The slits 21x and 22x are used to attach reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26 to the support leg forming boards 21 and 22. The slits 21x and 22x are formed in some of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22, specifically, the parallel boards 21a and 21b parallel to the front wall board 12 and parallel boards 22a and 22b parallel to the rear wall board 13. Each of the slits 21x and 22x extends from the upper edge to the middle in the height direction, in the corresponding board. The reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26 are made of corrugated board paper, and provided with slits 24x, 25x, and 26x extending from the lower edge to the middle in the height direction, respectively. The slits 24x, 25x, and 26x are formed so as to positionally correspond to the slits 21x and 22x of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22.

The partition forming boards 11, 12, and 13 are unfolded so as to form included angles of 90 degrees, and the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 are also unfolded so as to form, at the corners thereof, included angles of 90 degrees, as illustrated in FIG. 8. In this state, the reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26 are inserted into the slits 21x and 22x of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 such that the slits 24x, 25x, and 26x are aligned with the slits 21x and 22x. As a result, the reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26 can be attached to each of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 so as to intersect the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 at right angles as illustrated in FIG. 9, and the positions of the upper edges of these boards in the height direction can be made uniform. As a result, the strength of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 is increased, and thus it is possible to provide a highly robust bed that can firmly support the weight of the user or the like.

The reinforcing boards 25 and 26 may be included in advance in the support leg forming boards 21 and 22. However, in this case, the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 in a folded state are thick and bulky, and thus inconvenient.

The reinforcing board 24 is inserted and attached to the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 so as to extend from one of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 to the other. That is, one of the slits 24x formed in the reinforcing board 24 is inserted at the position of the slit 21x in the support leg forming board 21, and the other of slits 24x is inserted into the slit 22x in the supporting leg forming board 22. The support leg forming boards 21 and 22 are merely joined to the front wall board 12 and the rear wall board 13, respectively. Thus, unless the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 are bonded to the side wall board 11, for example, the included angles or the positions of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 may change (for example, the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 may be deformed and opened as illustrated in FIG. 2A). However, when the reinforcing board 24 is used, such deformation does not occur. Therefore, when the reinforcing boards 24, 25, and 26 are attached to the support leg forming boards 21 and 22, the reinforcing board 24 (that is, a reinforcing board to be attached so as to extend from the one of the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 to the other) may be first inserted, and then the reinforcing boards 25 and 26 may be inserted.

Noted that, in addition to the above-described respects, there are subtle differences between the example of FIGS. 8 and 9 and the example of FIGS. 1A to 3 (not explained), for example, in the heights of the partition forming boards 11 to 13 (relationship with the dimensions of the seat board forming board 23) and the number of boards in the support leg forming boards 21 and 22.

FIGS. 10A, 10B, 11A and 11B illustrate an example in which the partition-equipped bed 1 of FIGS. 1A to 3 is modified in another respect. In this example, the seat board forming board 23 to be placed on the support leg forming boards 21 and 22 is divided into two parts along a dividing line 23x provided at the center in the length direction. Further, a bendable portion 11x is provided at the center of the partition forming board (side wall board) 11 so as to positionally correspond to the split line 23x.

In this example as well, there are some differences between this example and the example of FIGS. 1A to 3, which are not described in detail. For example, in this example, width dimensions of the front wall board 12 and the rear wall board 13 are slightly increased.

Dividing the seat board forming board 23 along the dividing line 23x into a front board 23a and a rear board 23b, as illustrated in FIG. 10A, makes it possible to achieve easy opening and closing of storage spaces for storing daily necessities and the like formed by the support leg forming boards 21 and 22. This is because after the comforter, blanket, etc. placed on the seat board forming board 23 is moved onto one of the front board 23a and the rear board 23b, the other seat board forming board 23 (rear board 23b or front board 23a) can be easily opened upward. As a result, it becomes easy to put daily necessities and the like, in and out from the lower storage space.

Further, the divided seat board forming board 23 and the side wall board 11 with the bendable portion 11x, as described above, allow the partition-equipped bed 1 to be compactly folded for storage or the like. Specifically, the partition-equipped bed 1 can be easily folded through the states of FIGS. 10B and 11A into a compact state as illustrated in FIG. 11B. The partition-equipped bed 1 that can be folded into such a compact state saves space, and thus is preferable for storage in a facility used as a shelter.

The partition-equipped beds and toilets made of a corrugated board have been described above as examples of a temporary furniture article. However, the temporary furniture article according to the present invention is not limited thereto, and thus may be a desk, a long chair, or a container with a partition, for example.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

• • 1 partition-equipped bed
  • 11 to 13 partition forming board
  • 21, 22 furniture article forming board (support leg forming board)
  • 23 furniture article forming board (seat board forming board)
  • 24, 25, 26 reinforcing board
  • 41 partition-equipped toilet
  • 51 to 54 partition forming board
  • 61 to 64 furniture article forming board
  • A flat board
  • B bend portion

Claims

1. A temporary furniture article suitable for emergency use, comprising:

a partition and a furniture article each made of a corrugated board, the partition and the furniture article forming a one-piece configuration, wherein

the entirety of the temporary furniture article is foldable into a flat shape, and the temporary furniture article is configured to form, when unfolded from the folded state into a three-dimensional shape, a partition-equipped self-supporting furniture article configured to stand on a floor, and

the temporary furniture article comprises a plurality of partition forming boards each made of a corrugated board, the plurality of partition forming boards being joined together by intervening bend portions for forming the partition,

a support leg forming board made of a corrugated board for forming a support leg of the furniture article is foldably joined to one of the plurality of partition forming boards by a bend portion intervening therebetween, and

the support leg forming board includes a parallel board parallel to the partition forming board to which the support leg forming board is joined, and a plurality of connecting boards parallel to each other and connecting the partition forming board and the parallel board, and the parallel board and the plurality of connecting boards form a parallel motion mechanism.

2-11. (canceled)

12. The temporary furniture article according to claim 1, wherein

a seat board forming board to be placed on the support leg for forming a seat board of the furniture article is joined to one of the plurality of partition forming boards each made of a corrugated board in a manner that allows the seat board forming board to angularly displace from a state of being overlaid on a surface of the partition forming board to a state of being perpendicular to the partition forming board.

13. The temporary furniture article according to claim 12, wherein

the plurality of partition forming boards include one side wall board, a front wall board, and a rear wall board, each of the front wall board and the rear wall board being joined to one of opposite sides of the side wall board by a bend portion intervening therebetween,

the front wall board and the rear wall board each have a surface which is to be located on the inner side when the front wall board and the rear wall board are in a bent state and to which the support leg forming board is joined, and the side wall board has a surface which is to be located on the inner side when the side wall board is in a bent state and to which the seat board forming board is joined, and

when the plurality of partition forming boards are unfolded such that an included angle at each of the bend portions is 90 degrees, unfolding the support leg forming boards on the inner sides of the front wall board and the rear wall board, respectively, into a three-dimensional shape located to the side of the side wall board, and placing the seat board forming board on the support leg forming boards result in formation of a partition-equipped bed.

14. The temporary furniture article according to claim 13, wherein

the front wall board or the rear wall board is provided with a perforated line that allows forming an opening through which legs are to be put out, the opening allowing a tall user to lie down on the seat board placed on the support leg forming boards with his/her legs straighten.

15. The temporary furniture article according to claim 13, wherein

the plurality of partition forming boards and a furniture article forming board in a flatly folded state are housed in a case made of a corrugated board,

the case is provided with a perforated line that allows a strip-shaped portion to be separated from the case for taking out of the content of the case, and

the strip-shaped portion separated by using the perforated line is usable as a pillow for a user by being rolled up, and the case from which the portion has been separated is usable as a mattress to be laid on the seat board.

16. The temporary furniture article according to claim 13, wherein

the front wall board and the rear wall board each have the surface which is to be located on the inner side and to which the support leg forming board is joined, and each of the support leg forming boards is provided with a slit extending downward from the upper edge thereof, and

when the plurality of partition forming boards are unfolded such that an included angle at each of the bend portions is 90 degrees and the support leg forming boards are unfolded on the inner sides of the front wall board and the rear wall board, respectively, a reinforcing board having a slit extending upward from the lower edge thereof is attached to the support leg forming boards by being inserted into the slits in the support leg forming boards.

17. The temporary furniture article according to claim 16, wherein

one or more of the reinforcing boards are attached to the support leg forming boards so as to extend from the support leg forming board joined to the inner side of the front wall board to the support leg forming board joined to the inner side of the rear wall board.

18. The temporary furniture article according to claim 13 wherein the seat board forming board to be placed on the support leg forming boards is divided in the middle in the length direction.

19. The temporary furniture article according to claim 12, wherein

the plurality of partition forming boards are four wall boards joined together by intervening bend portions, and the wall boards are configured to form, when an included angle of 90 degrees is formed at each of the bend portions and the outer edges of the wall boards at both ends are connected to each other, a partition providing surrounding on four sides, and

the support leg forming board and the seat board forming board with an opening are joined to a surface of one of the wall boards that is a surface to be located on the inner side of the partition, and unfolding the support leg forming board into a three-dimensional shape and placing the seat board forming board on the support leg forming board result in formation of a partition-equipped toilet.