U.S. patent application number 10/480470 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-07 for office panel arrangement structure.
Invention is credited to Saruhashi, Nozomu.
Application Number | 20040194394 10/480470 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11737441 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040194394 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Saruhashi, Nozomu |
October 7, 2004 |
Office panel arrangement structure
Abstract
An office space is divided by partitioning panels 12a and 12b
into a passageway 11 and a plurality of booths B positioned along
the passageway 11, and cabling floor panels 13 are laid down only
on the passageway 11 portion; wherein the floor panels 13 are
provided with a space capable of storing communications cables 15
for cabling in a laid state; wherein lower side surfaces 12a1 of
the partitioning panels 12a abut side surfaces 13a of the cabling
floor panels 13 laid out on the passageway 11 so that the
partitioning panels 12a positioned along the passageway 11 are
directly positioned on an office floor 14; and a cable draw-in
opening 13b is formed at a side surface portion 13a of the cabling
floor panel 13 that adjoins each booth B so that the communications
cables 15 which are laid in the space inside the cabling floor
panels 13 can be drawn in the booths B.
Inventors: |
Saruhashi, Nozomu;
(Kishiwada-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK, L.L.P.
2033 K STREET N. W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20006-1021
US
|
Family ID: |
11737441 |
Appl. No.: |
10/480470 |
Filed: |
May 20, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
June 14, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP01/05098 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/27.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2002/7488 20130101;
E04F 15/024 20130101; H02G 3/283 20130101; H02G 3/288 20130101;
H02G 3/285 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/027.5 |
International
Class: |
E04H 001/14 |
Claims
1. An office panel positioning structure, wherein an office space
is divided by partitioning panels into a passageway and a plurality
of booths positioned along the passageway, and cabling floor panels
are laid down only on the passageway; wherein the floor panels
comprise a space capable of storing cables for cabling in a laid
state; wherein a lower side surface of the partitioning panels
abuts a side surface of the cabling floor panels positioned on the
passageway so that the partitioning panels positioned along the
passageway are directly positioned on an office floor; and a cable
draw-in opening is formed at a side surface portion of the cabling
floor panel that adjoins each booth for drawing into the booths the
cables that are laid in the space inside the cabling floor panels.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to the positioning structures
of partitioning panels that divide office spaces, and cabling floor
panels that are laid down on office floors to cover laid
communications cables.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Until recently, office work places generally took a form in
which work was done with a number of desks lined up close and
facing each other.
[0003] However, with the recent rapid spread of computers, the form
of such work places has changed completely, and offices are full of
computers, as well various peripheral devices such as printers,
scanners, and drivers. Furthermore, a multitude of communications
cables for connecting all these are arranged laid down on the
floor.
[0004] Thus, if such a multitude of communications cables remains
exposed as they are, they may be damaged by people treading on them
with shoes, or getting caught in them, and therefore, in recent
offices, the floor is made as a double layer structure with cabling
floor panels laid out on the office floor, and with communications
cables laid out at the bottom of the cabling floor panels. And the
office structure is such that desks, chairs, cabinets, and the like
are positioned on top of these cabling floor panels, and
communications cables are drawn out from a cabling floor panel
close to a positioned desk, thus connecting the personal computer
or the like that is on the desk.
[0005] Also, the office space in many recent offices is divided
into a passage way and a multitude of booths positioned along this
passageway by partitioning panels of about 1 m to 1.5 m height. In
particular, in businesses that take an operational form in which
many operators are positioned so as to respond to orders,
inquiries, and the like from customers, clients, and the like, such
a booth system is often used to prevent the voice of an operator
who is responding to a given customer or the like from entering the
microphone of an operator in a nearby booth who is responding to
another customer or the like.
[0006] In this case, as stated above, the floor in recent offices
is a double layer structure that is about 10 cm higher than the
actual office floor. In other words, the height to the ceiling is
lowered by that amount. And since partitioning panels with a height
of about 1 m to 1.5 m are positioned on top of the cabling floor
panels, there is a problem in that the office space feels cramped.
In particular, when sound insulation capabilities are considered
important, it is necessary for the partitioning panels to be high,
and therefore the problem is further accentuated.
[0007] The present invention has been achieved to solve these
problems, and an object thereof is to provide an office panel
positioning structure in which the layout of communications cables
can be laid out as conventionally at the bottom of cabling floor
panels, and in which a sense of spaciousness in the office can be
maintained while securing sound insulation capabilities between the
booths.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0008] In order to solve these problems, an office panel
positioning structure according to the present invention is
characterized by an office space that is divided by partitioning
panels into a passageway and a plurality of booths positioned along
the passageway, and cabling floor panels are laid down only on the
passageway; wherein the floor panels comprise a space capable of
storing cables for cabling in a laid state; wherein a lower side
surface of the partitioning panels abuts a side surface of the
cabling floor panels laid out on the passageway so that the
partitioning panels positioned along the passageway are directly
positioned on an office floor; and a cable draw-in opening is
formed at a side surface portion of the cabling floor panel that
adjoins each booth for drawing into the booths the cables that are
laid in the space inside the cabling floor panels.
[0009] With the present invention having such characteristics, a
structure is given in which an office space is divided into a
plurality of booths, and cabling floor panels are laid down on only
the passageway that connects the booths, so that communications
cables run along at the bottom of the cabling floor panels, and are
laid out through to the booths. In other words, the floor surface
of the passageway portion is one level (about 10 cm) higher than
the floor surface of each booth.
[0010] On the other hand, the partitioning panels that are
positioned along the passageway are directly positioned on the
office floor in such a way that a lower side surface of the
partitioning panels abut side surfaces of the cabling floor panels
that are laid out on the passageway. In other words, since this is
not a structure in which the partitioning panels are positioned on
the cabling floor panels, the apparent height of the partitioning
panels can be lowered by that amount, and the office space becomes
a space with a sense of spaciousness. On the other hand, the
partitioning panels have the same height as the conventional
height, and therefore it is possible to maintain noise insulation
capabilities between adjacent booths that are the same as
conventionally.
[0011] Furthermore, cable draw-in openings are formed at side
surface portions of the cabling floor panels that adjoin the booths
so that the communications cables that are laid at the bottom of
the cabling floor panels can be drawn into the booths, and
therefore, since the communications cables that are laid out at the
bottom of the cabling floor panels through to the booths can be
drawn into the booths from these cable draw-in openings, there is
no concern that the communications cables will become exposed at
the passageway portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one example of an
office panel positioning structure according to the present
invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an enlarged portion of
a partitioning panel positioning structure positioned along a
passageway.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an enlarged portion of
a structure in which communications cables are drawn into a
booth.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0015] The following is an explanation of an embodiment of the
present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one example of an
office panel positioning structure according to the present
invention.
[0017] In this example, a single passageway 11 passes through an
office, and the office structure is arranged so that a plurality of
booths B that are divided by a plurality of partitioning panels 12a
and 12b are lined up on both the left and right sides of the
passageway 11. In actual offices, in consideration of factors such
as work efficiency, the passageway 11 can become a more intricate
route including cross-shaped paths, T-shaped paths, and the like,
and with these the booths B can be divided into various widths and
shapes, but the simplest office structure is used here to simplify
explanation.
[0018] Also, in this embodiment, cabling floor panels 13 are laid
down only in the passageway 11 portion, and the office floor 14
itself is exposed as it is in the booths B. In other words, the
passageway 11 portion alone is about 10 cm higher than other
portions (that is, the floor 14 of the booths B).
[0019] It should be noted that detailed explanation concerning the
structure of the cabling floor panels 13 will be omitted here since
these are already available in the market in various shapes and
structures. Generally, however, such panels are of a square shape
with a side length of about 50 cm and a thickness of about 10 cm,
and communications cables 15 pass through within this 10 cm space.
The passageway 11 is made up of a number of these four-sided, 50 cm
cabling floor panels 13 that are joined and laid down together.
[0020] On the other hand, the partitioning panels 12a, 12b, and so
on that divide the booths B are directly positioned on the office
floor 14. In particular, as shown enlarged in FIG. 2, the
partitioning panel 12a that is positioned along the passageway 11
is directly positioned on the office floor 14 in such a way that a
lower side surface 12a1 of the partitioning panel 12a abuts a side
surface 13a of the cabling floor panel 13 that is laid out on the
passageway 11. Similarly, the partitioning panel 12b that is
positioned perpendicular to the passageway 11 is also directly
positioned on the office floor 14.
[0021] In other words, since this is not a structure in which the
partitioning panels 12a and 12b are positioned on the cabling floor
panels 13, but positioned directly on the office floor 14, the
apparent height of the partitioning panels 12a and 12b can be
lowered by the portion of the thickness of the cabling floor panels
13 when viewed from the passageway 11. For example, if the height
of the partitioning panels 12a and 12b is 1.3 m, then the height of
the partitioning panels 12a and 12b will appear to be 1.2 m when
viewed from the passageway 11, and therefore a sense of
spaciousness is obtainable when looking around the office from the
passageway 11. Furthermore, the height of the partitioning panels
12a and 12b when a person is sitting in a chair in the booth B is
the same as the height of the partitioning panels 12a and 12b when
persons are seated conventionally with the same partitioning panels
12a and 12b and chairs positioned on top of cabling floor panels,
and therefore sound insulation capabilities are also secured that
are the same as the sound insulation capabilities of conventional
offices structures.
[0022] On the other hand, in regard to cabling in the booth B, as
shown in FIG. 3, a cable draw-in opening 13b is formed at a portion
of the side surface 13a of the cabling floor panel 13 that adjoins
the booth B. And the communications cables 15 that are laid at the
bottom of the cabling floor panels 13, which are laid out on the
passageway 11 through to the booths B, are drawn in from the cable
draw-in opening 13b into the booths B. In this way, there is no
concern that the communications cables 15 will become exposed at
the passageway 11 portion.
[0023] It should be noted that, in order for the partitioning
panels 12a and 12b not to obstruct the cable draw-in opening 13b,
it is also possible in this embodiment to provide a slight gap P
between the partitioning panel 12a that is positioned along the
passageway 11 and the partitioning panel 12b that is positioned
perpendicular to the passageway 11, and to position the booths B so
the cable draw-in opening 13b opens at the gap P. In this case, in
order to ensure freedom of positioning for the booths B, a
plurality of the cable draw-in openings 13b (for example, about
three) may be provided at constant intervals on the side surface
13a of a single cabling floor panel 13. And the communications
cables 15 may be drawn in as required to the booths B from the
cable draw-in opening 13b of an appropriate location.
[0024] The drawn in communications cables 15 are laid along the
lower edge 20 of the partitioning panel 12b that is positioned
perpendicular to the passageway 11, and may be connected to a
personal computer unit or the like by being drawn upward from a
predetermined position (see FIG. 1). By doing this, the
communications cables 15 are laid along the rear side of a desk
that is positioned close by the partitioning panel 12b, and
therefore there is no concern of them getting caught on an
operator's leg or the like.
[0025] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, in order for
the partitioning panels 12a and 12b not to obstruct the cable
draw-in opening 13b that is formed at the side surface 13a of the
cabling floor panel 13, a slight gap P is provided between the
partitioning panel 12a that is positioned along the passageway 11
and the partitioning panel 12b that is positioned perpendicular to
the passageway 11, but by forming opening portions (omitted from
drawings) for the communications cables 15 to pass through in a
plurality of locations at a lower edge portion of the partitioning
panel 12a that is positioned along the passageway 11, it is
possible to position the partitioning panels 12a and 12b abutting
each other.
Industrial Applicability
[0026] As described above, the office panel positioning structure
of the present invention is suitable for an office in which various
pieces of OA equipment are installed.
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