Removable pull fascia

A pull assembly has a knob and a detachable fascia. An insert is located inside the knob, and the fascia attaches to the insert. The insert has a keyed hole, into which a tab extending from a non-decorative face of the fascia is inserted. The fascia may be rotated between a locked position and an unlocked position. When the fascia is rotated into the unlocked position, the fascia can be detached, and when the fascia is in the locked position, the fascia cannot be detached.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed towards an apparatus for attaching and detaching decorative fascias to pulls for opening drawers.

Pulls for opening drawers and doors may include knobs and handles. Kitchens, bathrooms, and other environments often include pulls for opening and closing cabinet doors, drawers, or the like.

Pulls can aesthetically enhance the surrounding environments. As an example, some decorative pulls include intricate details and accents. Such decorative pulls are especially common in household environments. Incorporating more decorative pulls into a new kitchen design enhances or changes the new kitchen's aesthetic appeal, for example. Similarly, replacing pulls in an existing kitchen with newer pulls can update the look of the kitchen, the kitchen's theme, or otherwise change the kitchen aesthetics.

Pulls typically secure to doors or drawer faces with one or more screws. In such an arrangement, a screw is typically extended through a door or drawer face and the knob is screwed onto the screw while the head of the screw is held stationary. Once attached, the screw and the knob will turn together unless the object not being turned is held stationary. Consequently, removing the knob from the door requires a person to hold either the knob or the screw stationary while turning the other the appropriate direction. Therefore, replacing entire pulls is expensive and often requires tools for removing the screws.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a pull assembly having a knob and a fascia. The fascia has a first and a second face. One of the knob and the fascia has a key tab and the other has a keyed hole. The tab and the keyed hole are removably interlockable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An example structure, such as a cabinet or a dresser, will typically have doors or drawers which are flush with the structure when closed. To facilitate opening and closing the doors or drawers a pull is typically used.

FIG. 1illustrates an example pull assembly100which has a knob10which has a base12, a first recess20, and a second recess22. An insert30is inserted into the first recess20where it is held in place using an adhesive, a frictional fit, threading, a snap-lock rib, or any other known method. The insert30additionally has a keyed hole32. Attached to the knob10, through the keyed hole32in the insert30, is a fascia40. The fascia40has a decorative face42which faces away from the knob10and a non-decorative face45which faces toward the knob10once the fascia40is attached. Once the knob10has been fully assembled, it is attached to a structure14door or drawer. The structure14can be a cabinet, a dresser, or any other similar structure having drawers or doors.

The fascia40also has a tab50protruding from the non-decorative face45along an axis100defined by the knob10. The tab50includes a post52affixed to the non-decorative face45of the fascia40. The tab50also includes wings54protruding radially away from the post52. Each of the wings54has at least a component which is perpendicular to the post52. The wings54are located on an end of the post52opposite the fascia40. The keyed hole32and the tab50have similar profiles, such that the tab50may be inserted into the keyed hole32when the fascia40is oriented in a first position, and may not be inserted or removed from the keyed hole32when the fascia is oriented in a second position. While the tab50and the keyed hole32are shown having a profile with a post52and two wings54, it is known that alternate profile configurations could be utilized and function with the disclosure.

FIG. 2illustrates an assembled pull. The fascia40, of the assembled pull, rests in the second recess22. When the decorative fascia40is inserted into the knob10and is rotated into the second position, the keyed hole32in the insert30prevents the fascia40from being removed. When the fascia40is in the first position the tab50profile will be aligned with the keyed hole32profile on the outer surface34of the insert30, thus allowing the decorative fascia40to be removed. When the decorative fascia40is removed, it is also possible to remove and replace the insert30.

Referring now toFIG. 3, an example insert30is shown. The insert contains the keyed hole32, portions of which extend from an outer surface34to an inner surface36. The insert30is inserted into the first recess20of the knob10(FIG. 1). Once inserted, the outer surface34of the insert30faces away from the base12of the knob10, and the inner surface36of the insert faces toward the base12of the knob10. The outer surface34can also have a set of bumps38which act to push the fascia40away from the knob10when the fascia is in the first position. These bumps38aid in the removal of the fascia40by preventing the fascia40from remaining flush with the knob10while the fascia is in the first position. The Illustration ofFIG. 3can be any of the example inserts illustrated inFIGS. 4-6.

Each of the example inserts ofFIGS. 4A-C,5A-C, and6A-C operate in fundamentally the same manner, having a set of first notch regions48, a set of second notch regions46, and overlapping regions44. Reference is made in the following section toFIGS. 6A,6B, and6C, however the examples of Figure sets4A-C and5A-C operate similarly, with like numerals indicating functionally equivalent components or regions, and with the differences being discussed in the sections headed “The example ofFIGS. 4A,4B, and4C” and headed “The example ofFIGS. 5A,5B, and5C.”

FIGS. 6A,6B, and6C illustrate an example insert30for use with the pull knob assembly ofFIG. 1.FIG. 6Aillustrates an isometric view of the insert30showing the outer surface34.FIG. 6Billustrates a cut out side view of the insert30which is cut along the line600.FIG. 6Cillustrates a view of the inner surface36of the insert30.FIGS. 4A-Cand5A-C show corresponding views of the example inserts represented (i.e.FIGS. 4A,5A, and6A are corresponding views of the respective example inserts30).

InFIG. 6C, the keyed hole32is divided into regions, defined in the drawings using dashed lines. The keyed hole32has a set of first notch regions48, a set of second notch regions46, and a set of overlapping regions44. Each overlapping region44defines a boundary between a first notch region48and a second notch region46. The keyed hole32additionally has a post region610.

The post region610and the set of first notch regions48extend through the insert30to the outer surface34. The overlapping region44and the set of second notch regions46extend from the inner surface34only partially into the insert30. Since the second notch regions46, and the overlapping regions44extend only partially through the insert30, a physical barrier exists within the keyed hole32. The physical barrier prevents removal of the fascia40when the tab50is inserted and rotated such that the wings54of the tab50are in either the set of second notch regions46or the overlapping regions44. When the wings54are in the second notch regions46(i.e. the second position), the fascia40is referred to as being in a locked position. Conversely, the fascia40is referred to as being in an unlocked position when the wings54are in the first notch region48(i.e. the first position).

Each of the examples corresponding to the Figure sets4,5, and6have differing locking mechanisms for securing the fascia40in the locked position when no force is being applied. The locking mechanisms for each example insert are described below with reference to the applicable figures.

The example ofFIGS. 4A,4B, and4C uses a ramp402in each of the overlapping regions44to facilitate locking the fascia40in the locked position. The ramp402has a surface which slopes from the second notch region46to the first notch region48. In order to form the ramp402, the keyed hole32does not extend as far into the insert30on a ramp edge404bordering the second notch region46, as it does on a ramp edge406bordering the first notch region48. This forms a sloping surface of the ramp402. The second notch region46of the keyed hole32additionally extends further into the insert30than the ramp edge404bordering the second notch region46. The extra depth of the second notch region46, relative to the ramp edge404, allows the fascia40to be held in the locked position until a user applies rotational force to remove the fascia40, due to the wings54resting in the second notch regions46and abutting the ramp edge404.

In order to insert the fascia40in the example ofFIGS. 4A,4B, and4C, the tab50is inserted from the outer surface34with the wings54of the tab50aligned with the first notch regions48. Once the tab50is fully inserted and the fascia40is flush with the knob10, the fascia40is rotated such that the wings54pass over the ramp402through the overlapping region44of the first and second notch regions46,48. Once the wings54are fully rotated into the second notch region46, the ramp edge404defining the border between the overlapping region44and the second notch46holds the wings in place until they are rotated out. Additionally the insert30prevents the fascia40from being removed when in the locked position, because the second notch region46does not extend through the insert30to the outer surface34.

The example ofFIGS. 5A,5B, and5C illustrate another example insert30and use a ridge502between the overlapping region44and the second notch region46, which prevents the fascia40from rotating into the unlocked position without additional force being applied. The ridges502are between the second notch regions46and the overlapping regions44, and define a border between the regions. The ridges502are constructed of a portion of the keyed hole32which does not extend as far into the insert30as the second notched regions46or the overlapping regions44.

When the fascia40is initially inserted into the insert30in the first position the wings54of the tab50cannot pass over the ridge502without additional rotational force being applied. When a person applies rotational force to the fascia40the wings54can pass over the ridge502thereby allowing the user to rotate the fascia40between the locked position and the unlocked position. The example ofFIGS. 5A,5B, and5C can be additionally effective if the bumps38described above are utilized. Inclusion of the bumps38on the outer surface34requires a user to apply force along the axis defined by the knob10as well as rotational force in order for the wings to pass over the ridges502.

The example ofFIGS. 6A,6B, and6C uses a spring mechanism to prevent the fascia40from being rotated without additional force being applied. Initially bordering the overlapping region44inFIGS. 6A,6B, and6C, is a flexible spring wall62. The flexible spring wall62has a gap64between itself and the outer surface34of the insert30. The gap64allows the flexible spring wall62to be forced away from the post region610as the wings54of the tab50pass through the overlapping region44. Once the wings54have entered the second notch region46, the flexible spring wall62springs back to its natural position. A second gap72exists in the barrier portion of the insert30from a side of the flexible spring wall62closest to the outer surface34of the insert30extending to the outer surface34. The second gap72allows the flexible spring wall62to flex independently of the remainder of the insert30.

The flexible spring wall62additionally has a center portion68which protrudes partially into the overlapping region44. The protrusion68prevents the wings54of the tab50from moving out of the first notch48or out of the second notch46without rotational force being applied. The flexible spring wall62thereby holds the tab50in place in either the locked position or the unlocked position once the tab50has been rotated into one of the positions.

While each of the examples illustrated above illustrate a keyed hole32in the insert30, it is understood that the keyed hole32could be in the fascia40with the tab50in the insert30, and still fall within the above disclosure.