Abstract:
A doorbell having interchangeable chimes and interchangeable decorative covers is displayed for sale to the retail public such that a customer may easily choose a specific chime sound and combine it with a specific decorative cover enabling the customer to buy a doorbell meeting the customer&#39;s aesthetic requirement. The interchangeable bases and covers may include complimentary attachment parts that allow any cover to be mounted to any of a plurality of bases of differing size and in different orientations.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This Application is a continuation-in-part of provisional U.S. Patent 60/503,626, filed 17 Sep. 2003, and claims the benefit thereof. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The invention relates to a point of sale display which will have specific by not limited application to the sale of doorbells.  
         [0004]     2. Discussion of Background Art  
         [0005]     A doorbell can be an expression of its owner&#39; personality. Therefore, in order to satisfy a broad range of users, doorbells often come in different styles including different chimes and different appearances. It has been common in the industry to manufacture different doorbells and sell them as complete sets including a particular chime combined with a particular decorative cover for the chime. Because the doorbells are marketed as a single unit however, a retailer is required to maintain a large stock of many different doorbells, covering a wide spectrum of combinations of chimes and decorative covers. This can be onerous to the retailer&#39;s overhead costs. It can also be confusing to a customer who must consider a large number of completed combinations before settling on the final doorbell with a specific chime and a specific decorative cover. Therefore, it would be advantageous to be able to present to a customer a variety of doorbell chimes and separate decorative covers that may be individually selected and then easily assembled by the customer.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     A doorbell or similar item may be assembled from subcomponents such as by selecting a chime base from a plurality of different chime bases and combining it with a decorative cover plate selected from a plurality of different decorative cover plates.  
         [0007]     The method of this invention of presenting the doorbells to a consumer includes providing a point of purchase display board near a parts bin in an area accessible to the consuming public. The display board displays different examples of the various combinable doorbell subcomponents from which the customer may choose. A supply of each subcomponent is stored in its own compartment in the storage bin. Identifiers associated with each subcomponent on the display board are placed near the displayed subcomponent and also on the corresponding compartment in the parts bin. The customer can retrieve the chosen subcomponent from the parts bin by matching the identifier on the display board with the identifier on the parts bin compartment, and retrieving the appropriate subcomponent from the compartment.  
         [0008]     A doorbell chime assembly that may be used in the method of this invention includes a base portion and a cover portion. Both the base portion and the cover portion may be interchanged with a plurality of other base and cover portions so that any one particular base portion may be combined with any one particular cover portion. Both the base portion and the cover portion carry attachment parts that allow the cover portion to be mounted to the base portion in a plurality of orientations. The attachment parts are adapted so that the cover may be mounted to a plurality of bases having different thicknesses.  
         [0009]     An object of the invention is to provide a new method of presenting various combinable subcomponents to a consumer in a manner allowing the consumer to choose an item from several possible combinations that pleases that consumer&#39;s unique aesthetic predilections. Another object of the invention is to provide a line of doorbell parts including various chime bases and decorative covers that may be easily interchanged to allow a purchaser to mix and match bases with decorative covers. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a doorbell having a chime and a removable cover;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  depicts a display arrangement for selling the doorbell of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  depicts a display board for use in the display of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  shows components of a doorbell chime system having interchangeable chime bases and decorative covers;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5A  depicts a first chime base with a decorative cover installed in a horizontal orientation and  FIG. 5B  shows the decorative cover installed on the chime base in a vertical orientation, both with the chime base shown in dashed lines for illustrative purposes;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6A  depicts a second chime base with a decorative cover installed in a horizontal orientation, and  FIG. 6B  shows the decorative cover and chime base installed in a vertical orientation;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7A  is a front perspective view of the first chime base without a decorative cover, and  FIG. 7B  is a detailed view of the attachment parts encircled in  FIG. 7A ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8A  is a front perspective view of the second chime base without a decorative cover, and  FIG. 8B  is a detailed view of the attachment parts encircled in  FIG. 8A ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 9A  is a rear perspective view of a decorative cover, and  FIG. 9B  is a detailed view of the attachments parts encircled in  FIG. 9A ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view of the chime base of  FIG. 8A  and a decorative cover with the decorative cover dismounted from the chime base;  
         [0021]      FIG. 11A  is a rear perspective view of the chime base and decorative cover of  FIG. 10  aligned for mounting, and  FIG. 11B  is a detailed view of the aligned attachment parts encircled in  FIG. 11A ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the aligned chime base and decorative cover of  FIG. 11A ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 13A  is a rear view of the chime base and decorative cover of  FIG. 11A  with the decorative cover in its mounted position on the chime base, and  FIG. 13B  is a detailed view of the mated mounting parts encircled in  FIG. 13A ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 14  is a detailed cross sectional view of the mated mounting parts of the chime base of  FIG. 8A  and a decorative cover; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 15  is a detailed cross sectional view of the mated mounting parts of the chime base of  FIG. 7A  and a decorative cover. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]     Referring now to the drawings, a doorbell  10  includes a chime base  12  and a removable decorative cover  14 . Chime base  12  includes an audio chime  16  carried by a housing  18  and mounting pins  20  carried by the housing. Decorative cover  14  includes a faceplate  22  and rear mounting sockets  24  carried by the faceplate. Housing  18  and decorative cover  14  are preferably made of molded plastic. Chime  16  may be an electronic sound generator or an electromechanical sound generator. Faceplate  22  includes decorative features  26  molded on its exterior face. Mounting sockets  24  correspond in placement and number with mounting pins  20  on housing  18 . Aligned mounting sockets  24  and mounting pins  20  have a complementary resilient frictional interference fit or snap fit with each other. Decorative cover  14  is removably mounted to chime base  12  by press fitting mounting sockets  24  on faceplate  22  over pins  20  on housing  18 . The frictional interference fit between mounting pins  20  and mounting sockets  24  prevents decorative cover  14  from disengaging from chime base  12 . Decorative cover  14  may be removed from chime base  12  by overcoming the resilient frictional interference fit between the plugs and the sockets.  
         [0027]     Chime  16  requires an electrical power source to activate the chime. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a set of electrochemical batteries  28  are fitted into holding ports  30  in housing  18 . This particular arrangement would be used for a wireless doorbell activated by a radio frequency signal. The chime base could also be hard wired to the electrical system of a building with appropriate wiring. Chime base  12  may then be hung on a wall or other surface using appropriate mounting hardware.  
         [0028]     Turning now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a point-of-purchase sales display  32  for use in a retail setting includes a product display board  34  and preferably an adjacent parts bin  36 . Display board  34  is shown set up over parts bin  36  in an area where a customer  38  can access the display and parts bin. Display board  34  is divided into five main regions  40   a - e,  each region for displaying a different subcomponent of the doorbell assembly. As depicted in  FIG. 3 , region  40   a  displays various styles of doorbell buttons  50 , region  40   b  displays various wired chime bases  12   a  emitting different chime sounds, region  40   c  displays a variety of decorative covers  14   a - c,  region  40   d  displays a variety of wireless chime bases  12   b  having different chime sounds and, region  40   e  displays various accessories  52 . Each region  40   a - e  includes appropriate signage designating what doorbell subcomponents are displayed in that particular region. For example, the region  40   c  displaying decorative covers would has signage that reads, “decorative covers.” Each of the various chime bases  12   a,  b displayed on display board  34  is supplied with electrical power and connected to an actuator button  42 . When an actuator button associated by color coding with a particular chime is pressed, the chime will sound. An identification code  44   a,    44   b  is associated with each doorbell part displayed on display board  34 .  
         [0029]     Parts bin  36  includes a plurality of compartments  46  corresponding to the number of different parts available as indicated on the display board  34 . Each compartment  46  is labeled with an identification code  44   a,    44   b  that corresponds with one of the identification codes  44   a,    44   b  on display board  34 . Each compartment contains the same doorbell part displayed on display board  34  associated with that identifier. For example, a decorative cover  14   b  displayed on display board  34  is associated with identifier  44   a.  One of compartments  46  in parts bin  36  is labeled with the same identifier  44   a,  and a decorative cover  14   b  the same as decorative  14   b  on the display is contained in that compartment.  
         [0030]     Display board  34  also includes a set of instructions  48  that are visible and readable by a customer  38  standing in front of the display  32 . Instructions  48  detail three distinct steps to a customer on how to use the display. The customer is first directed to choose the type of doorbell activation mechanism desired, e.g. wired or wireless. Customer is then directed to select the chime base and associated chime sound desired, e.g. Big Ben, church bells, or a traditional ding-dong chime. The customer is then directed to choose the style of decorative cover desired. These instructions along with the hereinbefore described sales display  32  enable a customer standing in front of the sales display to simply and easily select a doorbell with a specific one of a plurality of chime sounds and a specific one of a plurality of decorative covers in a manner described forthwith.  
         [0031]     A method of presenting a doorbell with interchangeable chimes and decorative covers for sale to the retail public includes using sales display  32  in conjunction with a doorbell  10  in a publicly accessible retail setting. Initially, a retailer sets up sales display  32  in the store in an area where a customer  38  can easily read display board  34 , activate chime activator buttons  42 , and access compartments  46  in parts bin  36 . For example, a retailer might set up the sales display  32  in an open isle area accessible to the public in a store. The retailer then stocks each of the compartments  46  with the appropriate doorbell parts corresponding to the doorbell parts shown on the display as herein before described. A customer  38  interested in buying a doorbell is allowed to approach the display  32  where the customer reads the easy to read instructions  48 . Customer  38  then follows the instructions by first selecting whether a wire or wireless chime base is desired. Customer next selects the chime base desired by activating the various chimes with their associated actuators and selecting a preferred-chime sound. Customer  32  then reads the identifier on display board  34  associated with the selected chime, identifies the appropriate compartment  46  with the same identifier, and then removes one of the corresponding parts contained within the compartment. Next the customer chooses a desired decorative cover from the several decorative covers displayed on display board  34 , reads the identifier associated with the decorative cover selected, identifies the bin  46  with the same identifier, and picks a decorative cover from the bin. Customer  38  then preferably pays for the doorbell thus chosen and assembles the chime base and decorative cover to construct a doorbell that is tailored to the customer&#39;s individual aesthetic preferences.  
         [0032]     Doorbell accessories  50  displayed on display board  34  may also be chosen at the same time as the doorbell in a similar manner as herein before described.  
         [0033]     A preferred embodiment of a set of doorbell subcomponents having interchangeable chime bases and decorative covers is illustrated in  FIGS. 4-15 . One of chime bases  100   a,    100   b  shown in  FIG. 4  may be interchangeably combined with one of decorative covers  102   a, b, c, d.  Base  100   a  has an outline that allows cover  102   a  to be mounted to the vertically oriented base with the cover oriented either horizontally, as shown in  FIG. 5A , or vertically, as shown in  FIG. 5B , and still completely cover the base. Base  100   b  has an outline which requires cover  102   a  to be mounted to the base in the same vertical or horizontal orientation as the base, as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  in order to completely cover the base. Whether the orientation of any particular cover can be rotated with respect to any particular base orientation and still completely cover that base depends on the outlines of both the base and the cover. Each base and cover, however, includes a set of attachment parts described more fully below to allow each of the covers to be interchangeably mounted to each of the bases at one of four 90° orientations.  
         [0034]     Each chime base  100   a,b  includes a set of apparatus for producing an audible signal, which is not part of this invention, contained within a housing  104   a,b.  Each housing  104   a,b  is adapted for mounting to a support structure such as a wall (not shown) and connection to a signal actuator (not shown) for allowing the chime base to produce its audible signal when a doorbell button (not shown) is pushed, all in any well known manner in the art.  
         [0035]     Housing  104   a  of chime base  100   a,  best shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , has four sets of attachment parts  105   a  each of which includes guide port  106   a  and an elongated tab  108   a  and a tapered or conical receptor  112 . Because housing  104   a  is generally square shaped, a set of attachment parts  105   a  is located near each corner of housing  104   a.  Guide port  106   a  is a semicircular channel indented into the sidewall  110 ,  111  of housing  104   a  extending from the front side of the housing. Conical receptor  112  is located along the front edge of guide port  106   a  in the front wall  114  of housing  104   a.  Tab  108   a  is located adjacent guide port  106   a  and projects outwardly from sidewall  110 ,  111 . A pair of attachment parts  105   a  are located on each sidewall  110   a,    111   a  and are aligned vertically and horizontally so as to be located at the comers of a square.  
         [0036]     Housing  104   b  of chime base  100   b,  best shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , has four sets of attachment parts  105   b  each of which includes a guide port  106   b,  a conical receptor  112   b,  and a pair of aligned tabs  108   b.  A pair of attachment parts  105   b  are located on each sidewall  110   b,    111   b  and aligned so as to be located at the corners of a square. Because housing  104   b  is generally an elongated rectangular shape, attachment parts  105   b  are not located near all the corners of the housing. Guide port  106   b  and receptor  112   b  are similar to port  106   a  and receptor  112   a,  respectively. Each pair of aligned tabs  108   b  are spaced apart from each other to form a gap  116  therebetween.  
         [0037]     Each cover  102   a - d  includes a set of attachment parts  118 , best shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , that are used to connect the cover to either of bases  100   a,b.  Attachment parts  118  are located at the corners of a square so as to be alignable with attachment parts  105   a,b  on bases  100   a,b  in any of four 90° orientations. Each set of attachment parts  118  includes a guide post  120  and an alignment wall  122  protruding from the rear of the cover. Guide post  120  is a circular shaft for insertion into guide port  106   a,b  of bases  100   a,b.  Each alignment wall  122  extends away from guide post  120  at a 45° angle and is ramped inwardly or tapered toward the top of the guide post at leading edge  123  to help align the posts with the ports  106   a,b  as the cover is positioned over the base. Tab receptor walls  124 ,  126  extend away from each guide post  120  at a 90° orientation from each other on either side of alignment wall  122 .  
         [0038]     Each wall  124 ,  126  includes a first set of tab receptors  130  for accepting tabs  108   b  and a second tab receptor  128  for accepting tab  108   a  when the covers are mounted to the bases. Receptors  128  are spaced apart to form a rib  132  therebetween. Receptors  130  are located in front of receptors  128  so that elongated tab  108   a  will pass along rib  132  over receptors  130  and latch into receptor  128 . Walls  124 ,  126  are oriented at 90° angles so that attachment parts  118  of the covers  102   a - d  will mate to attachment parts  105   a,b  in any of the four possible 90° orientations. In this way, tabs  108   a,b  will engage the appropriate tab receptors  128 ,  130  on either wall  124  or  126  depending on the orientation of the cover with respect to the base.  
         [0039]     To mount a cover  102   a  to a base  100   a,  the cover is pressed onto the base as shown in  FIGS. 10-15 . Mounting parts  118  on the back of cover  102   a  are pointed and aligned roughly toward mounting parts  105   a  around base  100   a  and then urged toward the base. As cover  102   a  is urged toward base  100   a,  tapered alignment walls  122  catch against tapered receptors  112  to precisely align guide posts  120  with guide ports  106   a,  which accept the guide posts. Guide ports  106   a  align guide posts  120  so that tabs  108   a  are aligned with tab receptors  128 ,  130 . As Cover  102   a  is urged fully into its mounted position on base  100   a,  tabs  108   a  slide over tab receptors  130  because of rib  132  and latch into tab receptors  128 , as shown in detail in  FIG. 14 . Alternatively, if cover  102   a  is mounted to base  100   b  with tabs  108   b,  tabs  108   b  will latch into tab receptors  130  with rib  132  located between tabs  108   b  within gap  116  before reaching tab receptor  128 , as shown in detail in  FIG. 15 . In this manner, the same cover  102   a  can accommodate both a thicker base  102   b  having tabs  108   b  received in tab receptors  130  and a thinner base  102   a  having tabs  108   a  received in tab receptors  128 .  
         [0040]     It will be readily appreciated that either tabs  108   a,b  or receptor walls  124 ,  126  are preferably of a resilient nature to allow either the tabs or the receptor walls to deflect as the tabs are urged across the receptor walls. When the tabs  108   a,b  encounter their respective receptors  128 ,  130 , the tabs will snap into the receptor to lock the cover onto the base. The cover may later be removed from the base by urging or pulling it off of the base in the opposite direction.  
         [0041]     The detailed description related herein is only meant to exemplify the preferred embodiment of the invention to enable those skilled in the art to make and use it. The subject invention is not to be limited to the details given above for the preferred embodiment, but may be modified within the scope of the impending claims.