Abstract:
The push button doorbell switch is used interchangeably within the decorative plates of a doorbell button assembly. Each insert of the push button doorbell switch is capable of being interchanged in a congruent aperture of a variety of decorative plates. These doorbell switch assemblies allow for the user to interchange a plurality of button shapes without having to repurchase and install a new decorative plate. The plurality of doorbell button shapes, associated with the interchangeable doorbell button switch, can increase the variety of push button doorbell switch assemblies that can be created and installed as house decor.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a push button doorbell and particularly to an interchangeable push button switch apparatus. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an assembled doorbell switch assembly; 
           [0003]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the doorbell switch assembly of  FIG. 1  with the push button switch exploded away from the decorative plate; 
           [0004]      FIG. 3  is a rear, top perspective view of the doorbell switch assembly of  FIG. 1  wherein portions of the decorative plate are partially broken away; 
           [0005]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of the push button switch of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the doorbell switch assembly illustrating a round push button doorbell switch with a square flange exploded away from the decorative plate; 
           [0007]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the doorbell switch assembly illustrating a round push button doorbell switch with a round flange exploded away from the decorative plate; 
           [0008]      FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of a series of interchangeable doorbell switch assemblies exploded away from a decorative plate having an unrecessed aperture; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    The doorbell switch assembly  10  depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings provides a push button doorbell switch  20  capable of being interchanged with other desirable push button shapes. An insert portion  30  of a push button switch  20  coincides with the dimensions and/or shapes of an aperture  52  of a decorative plate  50  allowing for interchangeability of a variety of push button switch apparatuses having insert  30 . The interchangeability of the push button switches allows for the user to interchange the push button doorbell switch  20  without having to purchase and install a new decorative plate. A plurality of varying doorbell button shapes can be used in a single decorative plate thereby increasing the variety of doorbell switch assemblies a user can choose from in selecting, changing, or upgrading the house decor. 
         [0010]    Exterior doors of homes and other dwellings are commonly equipped with doorbell switch assembly  10  by which a visitor may announce him or herself to those inside the dwelling. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  the doorbell switch assembly  10  may include push button switch  20 , decorative plate  50 , and a mounting base  60 . Decorative plate  50  may be releaseably mounted to base  60  of the doorbell assembly, or may otherwise be attached directly to an exterior wall  1  of the dwelling (not shown). The doorbell switch is operably connected, either by electrical wiring  2  ( FIGS. 2 ,  3 ) or a wireless link, to an interior signaling device (not shown) such as an electromechanical ringer or electronic tone generator mounted inside the dwelling. The interior signaling device is actuated when an exterior doorbell push button  42  is pressed by a visitor or user. All or portions of decorative plate  50 , base  60 , and push button switch  20  may be made of any metal including decorative material such as brass, bronze, aluminum, zinc, stainless steel, chrome, porcelain, plated steel, plastic, or any other material known to those skilled in the art. However, doorbell switch assembly  10  may be made from, or in part, of plastic or other suitable materials or in combination with other metal as described above. 
         [0011]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4 , push button switch  20  includes an outer portion  40  and an insert or inner portion  30 . Outer portion  40  includes a push button or pad  42  which is substantially square in shape. Many other push button  42  shapes can be used in connection with the invention and still be within the scope thereof. For example, rectangular, polygon, round, or non-round shapes ( FIG. 7 ) may be employed as push button shapes. Outer portion  40  also comprises a flange  44  disposed around the perimeter of push button  42 . Insert  30  contains a plurality of outward projecting tabs  32  that are used in conjunction with flange  44  to maintain a fixed axial position of the push button switch  20  in relation to decorative plate  50  ( FIG. 3 ). As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , insert  30  is dimensioned and/or shaped to be received into an aperture  52  of decorative plate  50 . Insert  30  is substantially cylindrical in shape and congruent with the substantially cylindrical shape of aperture  52 . It should be understood that insert  30  may be a variety of different shapes and sizes and still be dimensioned to be received in a variety of corresponding shapes and sizes of aperture  52 . 
         [0012]    During insertion of insert  30  into aperture  52  of decorative plate  50 , tabs  32  are forcibly retracted by the force of insertion (unless already in retracted position) into corresponding recess  33  to allow the tabs to pass thru aperture  52  while push button switch  20  is axially inserted into aperture  52 . Once tabs  32  pass through aperture  52 , the tabs may naturally return to their projecting configuration or may be manually forced outward to the projecting configuration. Tabs  32  are able to flex about a central pivot point  31  to travel from the closed or retracted configuration to an open or projecting configuration. The closed or retracted position of tabs  32  facilitates tabs  32  to be received within aperture  52 . The open or projecting position of tabs  32  facilitates tabs  32  to project radially from an exterior surface  35  of insert  30  to engage plate  50 . Once insert  30  is inserted and the tabs  32  are radially extended, plate  50  surrounding aperture  52  becomes compressed between the plurality of tabs  32  and flange  44  which substantially minimizes the axial and/or rotational movement of push button switch  20  relative to decorative plate  50 . Flange  44  makes contact with an exterior surface  56  of plate  50  while the plurality of tabs  32  engages an interior surface  57  of plate  50 . 
         [0013]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , electrical contacts  34 , shown as conventional screw contacts, may be positioned on an end  36  of insert  30 . In other embodiments, electrical contacts  34  may include, but are not limited to, wire sockets, wire clips, terminal blocks and the like. Electrical contacts  34  may be operably connected to the interior signaling device by electrically conductive wire  2  or wireless link. Push button switch  20  is normally electrically open. When the user manually depresses push button  42 , the switch is actuated and closes the open circuit and completes the electrical circuit between an electrical power source (not shown) and the interior signaling device (not shown) resulting in a signal, typically an audible sound. A user may pass electrical wire  2  through aperture  52  from within decorative plate  50  and subsequently affix to electrical contacts  34  before insertion of insert  30  into aperture  52 . 
         [0014]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , decorative plate  50  has aperture  52  in which doorbell switch  20  is received. Decorative plate  50  may have a recess  54  in an exterior surface  56  which coincides with the shape of flange  44  of the push button switch  20 . Recess  54  operates to minimize rotational movement of switch  20 . Flange  44  and recess  54  may be substantially identical in shape, however the recess does not necessarily have to coincide in shape to be within the scope of the invention, as shown in  FIG. 6 . Also, recess  54  may not be included in exterior surface  56  of decorative plate  50  and still allow switch  20  to functionally interchange between a variety of decorative plates. 
         [0015]    Decorative plate  50  may be any number of different shapes and sizes and still be within the interchangeable design of push button switch  20 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  5 , and  6 , decorative plate  50  may have exterior surface  56  that is substantially curved to enclose a portion of insert  30 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , in another embodiment of the invention a decorative plate  70  is substantially flat and is without a recess surrounding an aperture  72 . 
         [0016]    Also, the mechanism for minimizing the rotational and/or axial movement of switch  20  need not be in the form of tabs  32 . There are many mechanisms known in the art that may be used to inhibit axial or rotational movement that are within the scope of the instant invention. 
         [0017]    Base  60  may be attached to wall  1  or any exterior surface by any means known in the art, such as nails or screws. Again, decorative plate  50  may be releaseably mounted to base  60  of the doorbell assembly  10 , or may otherwise be attached directly to exterior wall  1  of the dwelling (not shown). If decorative plate  50  is attached directly to a surface the plate is affixed thereto by screws or other conventional fasteners. When plate  50  is attached to base  60 , it may either be snapped or clipped into base  60 , or secured by any other fastening means known in the art. By mounting plate  50  to base  60 , the plate may be attached to the wall so as to minimize visible screw heads or the like, thus creating a surface uninterrupted by visible fastening means. 
         [0018]    Numerous shapes and sizes of push button pad  42  can be used in conjunction with push button switch  20 , providing aperture  52  and insert  30  remain congruent in shape for interchangeability. As illustrated in  FIG. 5  in an alternate embodiment of the invention, decorative plate  50  can be assembled with a round button switch  120  with a square flange  144  of an outer portion  140  surrounding a round button  142 . In another embodiment of the invention as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a round button switch  122  has a round flange  154  of an outer portion  150  surrounding a round button  152 . Even though outer portion  150  of round button switch  122  does not coincide in shape with recess  54 , the present invention permits switch  122  to be interchanged with another switch apparatus. 
         [0019]    As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , multiple push button switches can be used with a decorative plate  70  having no recess. Push button switch  20  may be received within unrecessed decorative plate  70 . Additionally, push button switch  122  having a substantially round push button pad  152  and flange  154  may be received within unrecessed decorative plate  70 . Furthermore, a push button switch  124  having a substantially rectangular pad  162  and a flange  164  of an outer portion  160  may be received within unrecessed decorative plate  70 . The switches  20 ,  122 ,  124  can be used in a single decorative plate  70  because of the congruent shapes of insert  30  and aperture  72  of decorative plate  70 . As a result, a user can choose from a variety of doorbell push button shapes increasing the variety of doorbell switches a user can choose from in selecting, changing, or upgrading their house decor. 
         [0020]    It is understood that while certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.