Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to a door fixture with decorative panels. More particularly, the present invention relates to a door fixture comprising a handle attached to a door plate, a handle panel attached to the handle and a door plate panel attached to the door plate, the door plate being affixed to a door.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a door fixture with decorative panels. More particularly, the present invention relates to a door fixture comprising a handle attached to a door plate, a handle panel attached to the handle and a door plate panel attached to the door plate, the door plate being affixed to a door. 
     (b) Description of the Prior Art 
     Doors commonly include handles for ease of opening and closing. Door handles may be knobs, levers, or other graspable shapes. Escutcheon plates or door plates are often placed around door handles for ornamental or protective purposes. Individuals generally select door fixtures such as door handles and door plates for aesthetic purposes, such as matching an overall decorative scheme for a room or a building. However, some individuals may desire a greater ability to customize their door fixtures than simply selecting a color, material, and design style. A desirable feature for a door fixture would be a capability to customize its appearance to reflect the interests and aesthetic sensibilities of its owner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a door fixture that includes decorative panels, allowing an individual to customize the appearance of the fixture. The door fixture system includes a door plate and an attached door handle. The door plate is attached to a door and includes an outer face opposite the door. The handle includes a graspable portion and a stem extending therefrom. The graspable portion of the handle has an outer face opposite the stem. A handle panel is attached to the outer face of the handle, and a door panel is attached to the outer face of the door plate. The door panel and door plate include complementary apertures adapted to serially receive a at least portion of the handle portion of the door handle. Preferably, the door panel and door plate each include decorative designs which provide complementary aesthetic meaning, such as, for example, a sports team logo on the handle panel and the team name on the door panel, or a race car number on the handle panel and a picture of the car on the door panel. 
     There are four common types of door handles: dummy, passage, privacy, and entrance. Dummy handles do not have latching or locking mechanisms and are often used for aesthetic purposes. Passage handles have latching devices but do not have locking mechanisms and are commonly used on hall or closet doors. Privacy handles have latching and locking mechanisms and are commonly used on bedroom and bathroom doors. Entrance handles are typically used on exterior doors and include privacy handles and keyed cylinders, i.e., deadbolts. 
     The present invention is compatible with all four types of door handles. Latching mechanisms are commonly engaged by rotating door handles and do not modify the outward appearance of door handles containing such. Handles with locking mechanisms include buttons, rotatable elements or other means for engaging the locking mechanism. These means for engaging the locking mechanism may be located on the outer face of the graspable portion of the handle or elsewhere on the handle or door plate. Preferably, the present invention is used with privacy and entrance handles that have means for engaging the locking mechanism positioned apart from the outer face of the graspable portion of the handle. As such, the decorative handle panel may cover substantially the entire outer face of the handle without need for a hole or passage for accessing the means for engaging the locking mechanism. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention is a door fixture for attachment to a door, the door fixture comprising: a door plate for mounting on a door, the door plate having a door plate inner face, a door plate outer face opposite the door plate inner face, and at least one side adjoining both the door plate inner face and the door plate outer face, wherein the door plate outer face includes a door plate aperture; a handle having a graspable portion and a stem extending therefrom, the graspable portion having a handle outer face opposite the stem; a handle panel attached to the handle outer face; and a door panel attached to the door plate outer face, the door panel including a door panel aperture aligned with the door plate aperture; wherein a portion of the stem extends serially through the door panel aperture into the door plate aperture, and wherein the handle panel and the door panel display related decorative designs. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a front view of a door fixture; 
         FIG. 2  depicts an exploded side view of the door fixture; 
         FIG. 3  depicts an exploded top view of a door fixture, with the door plate and handle sectioned along line A-A of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4A  depicts a cross-sectional view of the door plate along line A-A of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4B  depicts a cross-sectional view of the door plate along line B-B of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5A  depicts a front view of a door panel; 
         FIG. 5B  depicts a side exploded view of the door panel; 
         FIG. 5C  depicts a top exploded view of the door panel; 
         FIG. 5D  depicts a side view of the door panel; 
         FIG. 6A  depicts a front view of a handle panel; 
         FIG. 6B  depicts a side view of the handle panel; 
         FIG. 6C  depicts a side exploded view of the handle panel; and 
         FIG. 7  depicts a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of a door fixture. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIGS. 1-6  depict a door fixture  10  comprising a door plate  12  with attached door panel  14  and a door handle  16  with attached handle panel  18 . The handle  18  includes a graspable portion  20  and a handle outer face  22  opposite the door plate  12 . The handle outer face  22  is preferably a substantially flat surface. The handle  16  also includes a stem portion  24  extending opposite the handle outer face  22  in the direction of the door plate  12 . The handle panel  18  includes handle attachment means  26  for securing the handle panel  18  to the handle outer face  22 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  6 B, and  6 C the handle attachment means  26  is an elongated threaded rod  27  configured to be secured within a corresponding threaded handle bore  28  in the handle outer face  22 . In another embodiment, the handle attachment means  26  is an adhesive. The handle panel  18  covers at least a portion of the handle outer face  22 . Preferably, the handle panel  18  covers substantially the entire surface of the handle outer face  22 . 
     The door fixture  10  is configured to be installed on a door. As used herein, the term “inner” refers to an orientation in the direction of the surface of a door upon which the door fixture  10  is attached. The term “outer” refers to an orientation opposite that of “inner.” The term “height” refers to a distance perpendicular to the surface of the door. The terms “top” and “bottom” refer to the uppermost and lowermost parts of an object, from the view of an observer facing the door fixture  10  as installed. 
     The door plate  12  is designed to be mounted on a door and includes a plate outer face  30 , a plate inner face  32  opposite the plate outer face  30 , and at least one side  34  contiguous to both the plate outer face  30  and plate inner face  32 . The door plate  12  includes plate attachment means  36  for securing the door panel  14  to the plate outer face  30 . In one embodiment, the plate attachment means  36  is an adhesive. In another embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 A and  4 B, the plate attachment means  36  is a pair of upside-down “L-shaped” side support rails  38  extending perpendicular from the sides of the plate outer face  30  then angled parallel to the plate outer face  30 . The plate attachment means  36  further includes a third upside-down “L-shaped” bottom support rail  39  extending perpendicular from the bottom of the plate outer face  30  then angled parallel to the plate outer face  30 . In this embodiment, the parallel portions of the support rails  38 ,  39  are configured to fit within a corresponding groove  40  within the door panel  14 . As visible in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4 A and  4 B, the plate outer face  30  is substantially rectangular in shape and the support rails  38 ,  39  extend along both sides and the bottom of the plate outer face  30 . In this embodiment, the door panel  14  may be secured to the door plate  12  by sliding the door panel  14  downwards onto the side support rails  38  and coming to rest on the bottom support rail  39 , such that the support rails  38 , 39  mechanically interlock with the groove  40 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the door plate  12  and door panel  14  each include complementary apertures  42 ,  44 . A portion of the stem portion  24  of the door handle  16  serially passes through the door panel aperture  44  and into the door plate aperture  42 . The portion of the stem portion  24  extending through the door panel aperture  44  mechanically secures the door panel  14  to the door plate  12 . 
     The door panel  14  and handle panel  18  each include a decorative design, which may include an image, words, or a combination of the two, such as, for example, a sports team logo, a sports team name, an image of a famous individual, an image of an animal, an image of a vehicle, or other desirable design. Preferably the decorative designs on the door panel  14  and handle panel  18  are complementary and provide a consistent decorative theme, such as, for example, a sports team logo on the handle panel  18  and the team name on the door panel  14 , or an image of a skull and cross bones on the handle panel  18  and the words “abandon hope all ye who enter” on the door panel  14 . 
     In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 5A-5D , the door panel  14  is comprises a first door panel part  46  and a second door panel part  48 . The first door panel part  46  is a transparent material and the second door panel part  48  is an opaque material. The first door panel part  46  includes a first door panel inner surface  50  and an opposing first door panel outer surface  52 . In this embodiment, a decorative design is applied on the first door panel inner surface  50  of the first door panel part  46 . The first door panel inner surface  50  is then secured to the second door panel part  48  by an attachment means, such as, for example, a transparent adhesive. The door panel  14  is attached to the door plate  12  such that the first door panel outer surface  52  of the first door panel part  46  is arranged outwards from the door plate  12 . The first door panel part  46  is sized to cover at least a portion of the plate outer face  30 . In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 A- 5 D, the first door panel part  46  is sized to cover substantially all of the plate outer face  30 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5A-5D , the first door panel part  46  and second door panel part  48  are designed to form a groove  40  when combined to form the door panel  14 . A notch is formed in the edges of the surface of the rectangular second door panel part  48  which will contact the first door panel part  46 . When the first door panel part  46  and second door panel part  48  are secured together, the notch and first door panel inner surface  50  cooperatively form the groove  40 . 
     The decorative design may be applied to the door panel  14  via screen printing, drawing, painting, carving, etching, or other suitable means. In a preferred embodiment, the decorative design is applied via screen printing to a first door panel inner surface  50  of a transparent first door panel part  44  made of acrylic. In this embodiment, the opaque second door panel part  48  is also made of acrylic. The opaque second door panel part  48  serves as the background of the decorative design on the first door panel part  46 . In another embodiment, the decorative design is applied via screen printing to an opaque acrylic second door panel part  48 , and a transparent acrylic first door panel part  46  includes no markings. By applying the design to one of the first door panel inner surface  50  and the second door panel part  48 , and irreversibly securing the two together, moisture, abrasions, and scratches cannot reach and damage the design. Instead, the design is viewed through the transparent body of the first door panel part  48 . 
     The handle panel  18  is constructed using similar techniques as the door panel  14 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 6A-6C , the handle panel  18  is constructed of a first handle panel part  54  and a second handle panel part  56 . The first handle panel part  54  is a transparent material and the second handle panel part  56  is an opaque material. The first handle panel part  54  includes a first handle panel inner surface  58  and an opposing first handle panel outer surface  60 . In this embodiment, a decorative design is applied to one of the first handle panel inner surface  58  and the second handle panel part  56  using techniques as described above for the door panel  14 . The first handle panel inner surface  58  is then secured to the second handle panel part  56  by an attachment means, such as, for example, a transparent adhesive. The handle panel  18  is attached to the handle outer face  22  such that the first handle panel outer surface  60  is arranged outwards from the door handle  16 . The handle panel  18  is sized to cover at least a portion of the handle outer face  22 . In a preferred embodiment, the handle panel  18  is sized to cover substantially all of the handle outer face  22 . 
       FIG. 7  depicts a second embodiment of a door fixture  110  within the scope of the present invention. This second embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment, except as described below. 
     In this second embodiment, the handle outer face  122  is recessed into the graspable portion  120  to a distance equal to the height of the handle panel  118 , such that outer surface  160  of the handle panel  118  is flush with the graspable portion  120  and provides the appearance that the handle panel  118  and graspable portion  120  are a single piece. In this embodiment, the plate attachment means  136  is a flange  138  extending outward from the perimeter of the plate outer face  130  to a height substantially equal to the height of the door panel  114 , such that the outer surface  152  of the door panel  114  is flush with the flange  138  and provides the appearance that the door panel  114  and the door plate  112  are a single piece. The door panel  114  is affixed to the plate outer face  130  and flange  138  via an adhesive or other suitable means. 
     While the present invention is discussed and shown primarily in context of an axially symmetric knob-type door handle  16  attached to a generally rectangular door plate  12 , the invention is not limited to these particular shapes. The door plate  12  may be generally circular, oval, or a non-standard shape. The door handle  16  may be a knob, lever, or other graspable shape. The present invention may also be used in residential, commercial, industrial, or other settings. In one embodiment, the decoration on the door fixture  10  may also serve a functional purpose in addition to an aesthetic purpose. For example, the decoration on the door fixture  10  used in a laboratory setting could include a radioactivity hazard design on the handle panel  16  and the words “Warning: Radiation Hazard” on the door panel  14 . For another example, the door fixture used on a restroom in a commercial facility could include the word “Women” on the handle panel  16  and a design showing the outline of a woman on the door panel  14 . 
     The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modifications can be made by those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8