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.

Description:
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;  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary attachment of the invention; and  
         [0022]      FIGS. 11, 12  and  13  show various exemplary indicia/decorations that may appear on the accent surfaces of the attachments of the hardware fixture of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0023]     The present invention provides a hardware fixture useful as a knob or pull to be affixed to a door, drawer, cabinet door, and the like. The hardware fixture provides a point of manual access to push, pull or pivot a furniture part, or may alternatively be mounted to other panels and other furniture and the like, in other exemplary embodiments, including stationary ones such as faux door panels and drawer fronts, simply for decorative purposes. The hardware fixture includes at least one member interchangeably attachable to a fixed knob body, the interchangeable attachment having a visible accent surface that may include an indicia, a decoration, or contrasting color. The attachments are easily interchangeable to easily change the appearance of the hardware fixture and the furniture, fixture or item to which the hardware fixture is mounted.  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of an exemplary hardware fixture according to the invention. The hardware fixture includes knob body  1  including central portion  3  and peripheral portion  5 . Central portion  3  includes surface  7  and in one embodiment, central portion  3  and surface  7  may be substantially parallel to, and facing opposite of a surface or panel upon which knob body  1  is mounted. It should be understood that knob body  1  is attached to a panel or other surface at a location behind the view of knob body  1  shown in  FIG. 1 . Diameter  9  of knob body  1  will vary depending upon the use of knob body  1  and may range from 20-40 millimeters in various exemplary embodiments. In one embodiment, diameter  9  may be about 30.15 mm. Central portion  3  is surrounded by peripheral portion  5  which is advantageously formed of a non-metallic material and central portion  3  may be recessed with respect to peripheral portion  5 , or it may be at the same level or raised with respect to peripheral portion  5 . Central portion  3  may include a diameter  8  of about 15-40 millimeters, but may vary in other exemplary embodiments. Peripheral portion  5  may include width  11  of about 0.5-3.0 mm in exemplary embodiments, but width  11  may vary in other exemplary embodiments and may depend on diameter  9  of knob body  1 . In one exemplary embodiment, diameter  8  of central portion  3  may be 26 mm with peripheral portion  5  having width  11  of 3 millimeters. Surface  7  of central portion  3  may be substantially planar and in one exemplary embodiment surface  7  may be substantially parallel to the panel upon which knob body  1  is mounted. Surface  7  may be magnetic and adapted to receive a metallic surface in central portion  3 . The thickness of the central and peripheral portions may lie in a range of about 4-20 mm.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a perspective, side view showing knob body  1  including stem  13  attached to panel  15 . Knob body  1 , including stem  13  may be formed of wood, ceramic, porcelain, metal (e.g., bronze or nickel or brass), plastic or other suitable materials. In one embodiment, knob body  1  may be formed of zinc or a zinc alloy such as zinc aluminum, e.g. Zamak3. An alternative material is brass. Panel  15  may be the front panel of a drawer, a cabinet door, a house door, other fixtures, furniture or other surfaces. Knob body  1  may be fixedly attached to panel  15  by various conventional means. In one embodiment, screw  16  may extend through panel  15  into stem  13  which may have an internally threaded recess  17  to receive screw  16 , to enable knob body  1  to be screwed into panel  15 . In another embodiment, the screw may extend from stem  13  and enable knob body  1  to be screwed into panel  15 . Other conventional means for fixedly attaching knob body  1  to panel  15  may be used in other exemplary embodiments. Permanent affixing means may be used to secure knob body  1  to panel  15 , but in other exemplary embodiments, knob body  1  may be affixed to panel  15  using easily releasable securing techniques. An aspect of the invention, however, is that even if knob body  1  is fixedly and permanently attached to panel  15 , the appearance of the hardware fixture may be easily and frequently changed due to the interchangeable attachments, as will be shown.  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a front view of another exemplary embodiment of the face of exemplary knob body  1 . In the illustrated embodiment, peripheral portion  5  surrounds central portion  3  which includes magnetic surface  19  and other portion  21  which is non-magnetic. In one exemplary embodiment, magnetic surface  19  may be substantially planar and other portion  21  may be substantially planar. In one exemplary embodiment, magnetic surface  19  and other portion  21  may be co-planar and in another exemplary embodiment, other portion  21  may be a surface that is recessed with respect to magnetic surface  19 . Other portion  21  and peripheral portion  5  will be formed of non-magnetic materials such as metal, wood, ceramic or other suitable materials. They may be formed of the same material as knob body  1  in various embodiments, but in other exemplary embodiments, portions of knob body  1  such as stem  13  shown in  FIG. 2 , may be formed of material that is different than the material used for peripheral portion  5  and/or other portion  21 . Intersection  25  is formed between other portion  21  and magnetic surface  19 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a perspective side view showing knob body  1  with attachment  27  being released from knob body  1 . In one embodiment, pressure, shown as arrow  20 , may be applied to attachment  27  at a location in which attachment  27  is disposed against non-magnetic other portion  21  causing attachment  27  to be released from magnetic surface  19 . In response to pressure applied as represented by arrow  20 , such as by a user&#39;s thumb, attachment  27  is released from magnetic surface  19  as indicated by arrow  22 . Surface  29  of attachment  27  which faces magnetic surface  19 , is advantageously formed of metal thereby making attachment  27  easily attachable to magnetic surface  19  of central portion  3 . In one exemplary embodiment, intersection  25  may be a ledge between other portion  21  and magnetic surface  19 , in particular according to the embodiment in which other portion  21  and magnetic surface  19  are at different levels, i.e., one is recessed relative to the other.  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a front view showing a hardware fixture of the invention with attachment  27  affixed to knob body  1  of which only peripheral portion  5  is visible. In the illustrated embodiment, attachment  27  completely fills, and is releasably attached to, central portion  3  such as is visible in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . In other embodiments, attachment  27  may not completely fill central portion  3 . Attachment  27  includes outwardly-facing accent surface  31  which advantageously includes an indicia, decoration or color thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, indicia  33  is a stylized letter “D”. Various other indicia and designs may be used and are shown in subsequent figures. In other exemplary embodiments, decorative outwardly-facing accent surface  31  may simply include a color. In still other exemplary embodiments, accent surface  31  may include a decorative texture or a texture that contrasts with that of knob member  1 . Accent surface  31  may be formed of porcelain, plastic, wood, ceramic, metal or other suitable materials. Attachment  27  is easily interchangeable without any tools or hardware thereby making the appearance of the hardware fixture of the invention easily changed.  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary knob body of the invention, to which an attachment may be releasably attached. In the illustrated embodiment, peripheral portion  5  extends above magnetic surface  19  which is thereby recessed with respect to peripheral portion  5 . Central portion  3  also includes other portion  37  which may be similar to other portion  21  shown in  FIG. 3 , and intersection  35  which may be similar to intersection  25  shown in  FIG. 3 . In the illustrated embodiment, other portion  37  is a surface recessed with respect to magnetic surface  19  and intersection  35  forms a ledge about which an attachment may pivot thereby disengaging from magnetic surface  19  when pressure is applied to the engaged attachment in a location where the attachment faces other portion  37 . Other portion  37  will advantageously be only slightly recessed relative to magnetic surface  19 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view showing another exemplary embodiment of knob body  1 . Knob body  1  includes stem  13  and peripheral portion  5 . Magnetic surface  19  is recessed with respect to peripheral portion  5  and magnetic surface  19  is also surrounded by peripherally-extending trench  41  which is also part of central portion  3 . The relative size of trench  41  and magnetic surface  19  may vary in other exemplary embodiments and trench  41  may aid in fostering the release of an attachment from magnetic surface  19 , for example by the attachment pivoting over edge  42  when pressure is applied at the peripheral portion of central portion  3 , i.e., over trench  41 .  
         [0031]     Magnetic surface  19 , adapted to conterminously receive a facing metallic surface of attachment  27 , has been heretofore illustrated as being substantially planar. In other exemplary embodiments, however, both facing, metallic surface  29  of attachment  27  and magnetic surface  19 , may take on different shapes, for example, one of the surfaces may be concave with the other surface being convex, such that the surfaces are conterminously joinable.  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of attachment  27  about to be secured to surface  7  of central portion  3  of the knob body of the invention. Surface  7  may be a magnetic or non-magnetic surface. Attachment  27  includes protuberance  45  and surface  7  includes receptacle  43  for receiving protuberance  45 . When protuberance  45  is received within receptacle  43  and attachment  27  magnetically attached to central portion  3 , the secured protuberance limits or controls the motion of attachment  27  with respect to knob body  1 . The protuberance can provide a pivot point, or in an embodiment wherein the attachment  27  has an orientation aspect, the protuberance can be raised sufficiently to engage with a complementary depression on the rear side of the attachment (not shown), whereby the rotational position of the attachment can be felt as a detent and/or maintained after the attachment is in place. Protuberance  45  may comprised an integral bump or an affixed peg and may include a shape that is generally round or elliptical or it may be rectangular or take on various other shapes.  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of knob body  1  with magnetic surface  19  and other portion  21  of central portion  3 . The dimensions illustrated in  FIG. 9  are presented by way of example only and other dimensions may be used in other exemplary embodiments. Within central portion  3 , more particularly within magnetic surface  19 , is recessed portion  51  which may represent receptacle  43  shown in  FIG. 8  or another dimple or other cavity for receiving a portion of attachment  27 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of exemplary attachment  27  which includes thickness  53  which may range from less than 1 mm to 3 or 4 mm, diameter  55  which may be identical to or different than the diameter of central portion  3 . Accent surface  31  may include a hard enamel finish and may be formed of porcelain, plastic, wood, ceramic, metal or other suitable materials and bulk portion  59  and surface  29  are advantageously formed of metal such as an iron based composition.  
         [0035]     Although the invention has been illustrated with the knob body having a single detachable accent member, i.e., attachment  27 , more than one attachment may be magnetically coupled to central portion  3 , in other exemplary embodiments which may include multiple associated magnetic surfaces or one magnetic surface to which the multiple attachments are releasably and magnetically joined.  
         [0036]      FIGS. 11, 12  and  13  show various embodiments of the indicia/decorations which may appear on the accent surface. The various designs, colors, patterns, logos, indicia, symbols and the like, shown in  FIGS. 11-13  are intended to be exemplary and not restrictive of the accent surfaces of the invention. In some embodiments, the accent surface may include a decoration to simply enhance the appearance of the hardware fixture of the invention. In other exemplary embodiments, the indicia or decoration may be indicative of the contents of the cabinet, drawer, door, etc. upon which the hardware fixture is mounted and is used to open. In still other exemplary embodiments, the accent surface may include a seasonal design include a theme that may be coordinated with other indicia/decorations or other furnishings throughout the home or office. The logos which may appear on the accent surfaces may be logos for sports teams, for example. The seasonal and other designs and symbols may be composed of various combinations of colors. The various styles are intended to be exemplary and not restrictive of the accent surfaces of the invention. The attachments are easily interchangeable by simply applying pressure to the attachment causing it to release from being magnetically coupled to the hardware fixture and therefore the accent surfaces are easily replaced by other of the accent surfaces.  
         [0037]     The preceding merely illustrates the principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements which, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope. For example, means other than magnetic means may be used for releasably attaching the interchangeable attachments to the knob body.  
         [0038]     Furthermore, all examples and conditional language recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes and to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventors to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.  
         [0039]     This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the figures of the accompanying drawing, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description, relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. The knob may be affixed to surfaces of various orientations. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation.  
         [0040]     Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments of the invention, which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.