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  Decorative interchangeable hardware fixtureUSPTO Application #: 20070069090Title: Decorative interchangeable hardware fixture Abstract: A hardware fixture for doors, cabinets, drawers or other fixtures, has an interchangeable decorative or informational attachment. The hardware fixture includes a knob or pull body receiving the attachment, which can be shaped as a disc. The surface of the body may be recessed or surrounded by a rim that protects an edge of the decorative member against inadvertent dislodgment. The body includes a magnet or ferrous portion and the interchangeable decorative attachment similarly includes a magnet or ferrous portion that is attracted to the body. The magnetic surfaces abut only part way across the central portion of the knob body. The decorative attachment can be dislodged when desired by tipping it. Downward pressure on the decorative member over a gap with the knob lifts the opposite edge of the decorative attachment such that it can be grasped. (end of abstract)
Agent: Duane Morris, LLPIPDepartment - Philadelphia, PA, US Inventor: Michael T. Driscoll USPTO Applicaton #: 20070069090 - Class: 248206500 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Supports, Brackets, Specially Mounted Or Attached, By Magnet The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070069090. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to decorative and useful hardware fixtures for doors, cabinets, drawers, other fixtures and furniture and the like, and more particularly to a manual pull having an interchangeable part that can be decorative, informational or useful. The pull can be altered by interchanging the part for one with a different decoration, indicia or the like. The interchangeable part is affixed so as to resist being dislodged inadvertently, while being easily removed when so intended, in particular by an easily detachable magnetic mounting. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Cabinets, doors, drawers, other fixtures, furniture pieces and the like are often provided with hardware fixtures such as knobs and pulls. Pulls are manually useful for opening doors, cabinets, drawers and the like, and advantageously also may be decorative or informational in appearance. Typical knobs or pulls may be wood or may comprise brass, zinc or similar metal hardware affixed relatively permanently to a cabinet door, drawer front or other item. In specifying a furniture design, the designer (or refinisher, etc.) is free to choose among a wide variety of hardware elements including drawer and cabinet pulls. The selection of such hardware can have a great effect on the style and appearance of the furniture or cabinetry, being formal or informal, historical or modern, generic or personalized, etc. In order to achieve the desired theme, particular hardware elements used for comparable functions might vary widely in size, shape, color or finish, formality versus folksiness, ornateness versus simplicity and any number of other ranges of choice. [0003] A supplier of such hardware is required as a practical matter to offer and usually to stock a wide range of such hardware. The variation is mostly a decorative matter because apart from scale, there may be little necessary variation is structure to meet minimum functional requirements. The pull simply needs to present a protrusion or irregularity that is securely affixed to the door or drawer and has a size, shape and position making it reasonably comfortable to grasp and pull. Most of the variation among alternatives is not dictated by function, although it is conceivable that drawer or cabinet pulls can have an informational function as well as a manual one. Thus, pulls might be made distinguishable to identify the contents of different particular drawers or to identify the owner by an initial or coat of arms, etc. [0004] Once installed, generally with screws and/or nails, hardware fixtures have an element of permanence. Conventional fixtures remain where installed unless the owner has a strong desire or opportunity to change them. A change requires considerable effort, inconvenience and/or damage to the furniture and may require a hand tool or power tool. The old and new hardware may not match in shape or fastener placement, making it necessary to refinish the site, substitute a larger hardware device than before or leave unsightly non-functional holes exposed. Typically if hardware is changed, there is little or no part of the old hardware that can be saved and reused. [0005] It would therefore be useful and advantageous to provide a knob or pull for furniture or for a fixture such as a cabinet, drawer, door or the like with an easily changeable appearance. It would be further desirable to provide, as part of a knob, an aesthetically pleasing or functional decoration or indicia which is easily replaceable, i.e. interchangeable. It would also be advantageous to customize the fixtures associated with countertops, cabinets, drawers and doors in this manner and at minimal cost. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] To achieve these and other objects, and in view of its purposes, the present invention provides a hardware fixture adapted to be mounted to a panel and for manipulating the panel, e.g., pulling, pushing, pivoting, etc. The panel may be a door, drawer panel, cabinet door or other similar fixture or furnishing. The hardware fixture includes a knob body adapted to be mounted to the panel and including a peripheral portion and a central portion, the central portion including a magnetic surface. An interchangeable attachment is magnetically affixed to the central portion by the magnetic surface. The attachment includes a facing metallic surface that is releasably attachable to the magnetic surface and also an outwardly facing accent surface that can bear an indicia or decoration. [0007] The invention further provides, in another aspect, a hardware fixture adapted to be mounted to a panel and for pulling the panel. A knob body is adapted to be mounted to the panel and includes a recessed portion including a magnetic surface. The fixture also includes an attachment receivable on the magnetic surface and within the recessed portion. The attachment includes a facing metallic surface releasably attachable to the magnetic surface and an outwardly facing accent surface bearing an indicia or decoration. The attachment can fit within sidewalls of the recessed portion, such that the attachment is not easily dislodged and remains in placed in normal handling due to magnetic attraction. [0008] According to another aspect, the invention provides a hardware fixture adapted to be mounted to furniture or a fixture. The hardware fixture comprises a knob body adapted to be mounted to a panel. The knob body includes a peripheral preferably non-magnetic portion and a central portion including a magnetic surface. An interchangeable attachment is receivable on the magnetic surface and within the central portion. The attachment includes a facing metallic surface releasably attachable to the magnetic surface, and an outwardly facing accent surface bearing an indicia or decoration. The interchangeable attachment may be interchanged with a further attachment. The magnetic surface need not and preferably does not encompass the whole surface of the central portion. [0009] According to another aspect, the invention provides a method for changing the appearance of a hardware fixture. The method includes providing a knob body mounted on a panel and including a central portion including a magnetic surface and a further portion. An attachment including a facing metallic surface is releasably attached to the central portion and includes an externally facing accent surface bearing an indicia or decoration. The method further provides applying pressure to the attachment over the further portion thereby causing the attachment to become disengaged from the magnetic surface. The method further provides magnetically coupling a further attachment bearing a further accent surface with an indicia or decoration, on the magnetic surface and within the central portion, by positioning a facing metallic surface of the further attachment over the magnetic surface. The central portion may be surrounded by and recessed with respect to, a peripheral non-magnetic portion. [0010] These aspects and objects are provided according to the invention in a hardware fixture for doors, cabinets, drawers or other fixtures, that has an interchangeable decorative or informational attachment. The hardware fixture includes a knob or pull body receiving the attachment, which can be shaped as a disc. The surface of the body may be recessed or surrounded by a rim that protects an edge of the decorative member against inadvertent dislodgment. The body includes a magnet or ferrous portion and the interchangeable decorative attachment similarly includes a magnet or ferrous portion that is attracted to the body. The magnetic surfaces abut only part way across the central portion of the knob body. The decorative attachment can be dislodged when desired by tipping it. Downward pressure on the decorative member over a gap with the knob lifts the opposite edge of the decorative attachment such that it can be grasped. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0011] The present invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawing are not necessarily to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Like numerals denote like features throughout the specification and drawing. [0012] FIG. 1 is a front, plan view of an exemplary knob body of an exemplary hardware fixture of the present invention; [0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective, side view of the exemplary knob body shown in FIG. 1; [0014] FIG. 3 is a plan, front view of another exemplary knob body of the present invention; [0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective, side view of the knob body shown in FIG. 3 and further illustrates an attachment being released from the knob body shown in FIG. 3; [0016] FIG. 5 is a front view of an exemplary knob including an attachment bearing an indicia/decoration; [0017] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary knob body according to the present invention; [0018] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of another exemplary knob body of the invention; [0019] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary knob body and corresponding attachment according to the invention; [0020] FIG. 9 is a plan, front view of another exemplary knob body of the invention; Continue reading... Full patent description for Decorative interchangeable hardware fixture Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Decorative interchangeable hardware fixture patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Decorative interchangeable hardware fixture or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: License plate frame with vacuum base mount Next Patent Application: Decoratable utility rod assemblies Industry Class: Supports ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Decorative interchangeable hardware fixture patent info. 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