Abstract:
A removable decorative cover for closet or other doors with physical dimensions adapted to fit conventional doors as found in most homes and living areas. The decorative door cover may be adapted to suit changing design needs of the home decorator.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/165,741 filed Apr. 1, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Home decoration can be a costly and time consuming process and may require replacement or refinishing of constructed components. In many cases, a rental agreement may prevent a tenant from painting or replacing items in the home such as closet doors. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present instrumentalities advance the art by providing removable decorative covers for closet doors with physical dimensions adapted to fit conventional closet doors as found in most homes and living areas. The decorative door cover may be adapted to suit changing design needs of the home decorator. A low cost and non-permanent alternative for quick and easy decoration is disclosed. 
         [0004]    In an embodiment, the decorative door cover includes a material of generally rectangular shape wherein the material forms an interior chamber to partially envelop a door, said material having apertures to accommodate mechanical and physical features of the door. 
         [0005]    In an embodiment, the decorative door cover is constructed to have a front panel, a rear panel and two side panels. 
         [0006]    In an embodiment, the decorative door cover may be constructed of a top panel, a front panel and a rear panel. Side panels may not be required. 
         [0007]    In an embodiment, the decorative door cover may be constructed of a front panel and a rear panel only. The front and rear panels may be connected by an adjustment mechanism as described below. 
         [0008]    In an embodiment, the decorative door cover may have designs on either or both of the front and rear panels. 
         [0009]    In still another embodiment the decorative door cover may be turned inside out to reveal a different design on the interior panels. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIGS. 1A-D  are exemplary planar front, top and bottom views of a decorative door cover according to an embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exemplary side view of a decorative door cover according to an embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 3A-D  are exemplary front, side and rear views of a decorative door cover according to an embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an exemplary side view of a decorative door cover according to an embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A-B  are exemplary top views of a decorative door cover according to an embodiment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an exemplary planar front view of a decorative door cover according to an embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    A decorative door cover provides an inexpensive way to redo, decorate, update and renovate a room. The decorative door cover may generally form an interior chamber with dimensions commensurate to standard doors and may be employed as an alternative to replacing or refinishing doors. 
         [0017]    The decorative door cover may be constructed of one or more pieces of material or may be formed from one continuous piece of material. The material may be constructed to form a front panel, a rear panel, two side panels and a top panel. The panels may be fixedly attached to form an interior chamber for accommodating a door. The decorative door cover includes a non-terminated end that forms an opening to accommodate a door within the interior chamber of the decorative door cover. The decorative door cover may be constructed of front, rear and top panels and may lack side panels. The decorative door cover may form apertures for door hardware, such as knobs and hinges, to protrude from the material of the decorative door cover. 
         [0018]    As used herein “aperture” means an opening, slit or hole. 
         [0019]    Front and rear panels may be fixedly attached or connected to side and top panels. Panels may be fixedly attached or connected, for example, by sewing, gluing, stapling, and/or riveting. In an embodiment, seams are hidden within the interior chamber. The decorative door cover may have functional and/or decorative stitching. Functional stitching may be employed to strengthen, reinforce and/or connect decorative door cover panels. Decorative stitching may be employed to provide shape and contour or design aspects to the decorative door cover. 
         [0020]    The decorative door cover may be used to cover conventional, generally rectangular, doors. Doors may be hinged or may comprise rollers for sliding. The decorative door cover may be adapted to cover a bifold door. 
         [0021]    Decorative door cover material may be of a single or multiple ply (multi-ply) material. Multi-ply material may or may not form a space between adjacent layers thereof to accommodate stuffing material. For example, an interior space of the multi-ply material may be filled with a stuffing material to provide thickness to the decorative door cover and may be constructed to form a shape that provides a three dimensional contour to the decorative door cover. Stuffing material may be natural or artificial stuffing material and may be, but is not limited to, rugging, kapok, wadding, feathers, fiberfill, poly fill and cotton. 
         [0022]    Decorative door cover material is made, for example, of textiles of natural or artificial material. Textiles may be, for instance, animal textiles, plant textiles, synthetic textiles and combinations thereof Animal textiles include, but are not limited to, wools and silks. Synthetic textiles include, but are not limited to, polyester fibers and derivatives thereof, aramid, acrylics, nylons, spandex, rayon, olefin fibers, polyactide fibers, and Lurex. Plant textiles include, but are not limited to, grass, rush, hemp, sisal, straw, bamboo, koir, kapok, cotton, flax, jute, modal, pina, ramie and tencel. Additional door cover materials include leathers and canvas. 
         [0023]    Decorative door cover material may also be made of a rigid material such as plastic or wood veneer. Wood veneer may be employed as an alternative to replacing a scratched and or dented door. For example, a scratched and dented pine door could be covered with a cherry wood veneer door cover. Apertures for door hardware such as hinges, rollers, knobs and levers may be sized smaller than the door hardware, so that door hardware is removed prior to application of door cover, then re-applied on top of the decorative door cover. The decorative door cover may also be constructed without apertures, so that the decorator drills his/her own holes in the door cover to apply the hardware. 
         [0024]    Decorative door covers may be made of stretchable or elastomeric material in order to form fit around a door. 
         [0025]    As used herein, “form fit” means that a decorative door cover material fits closely to planar surfaces of the door such that there is substantially no space between the surfaces and the decorative door cover. 
         [0026]    The decorative door cover material, for example, is knitted, woven, embroidered, crocheted, braided, and/or plaited. 
         [0027]    Designs may be applied to front, rear and/or side panels of a decorative door cover, for example by printing, weaving, embroidery, painting, dying, appliqué, reverse appliqué, quilting, silkscreen and photographic emulsion screening. Designs may also be applied to the interior panels of the decorative door cover. The decorative door cover may thus be turned inside out and also adapted to cover a door (e.g., reversible). 
         [0028]    Reference will now be made to the attached drawings. 
         [0029]      FIG. 1A  shows a front view of a decorative door cover  100  partially covering a door  103 , according to one embodiment. Decorative door cover  100  has apertures  101 ,  102  that accommodate door hardware  106 ,  105  respectively. Apertures  101  allow door roller hardware  106  to protrude from decorative door cover  100  without the material of decorative door cover  100  inhibiting or affecting the mechanical action of roller hardware  106 . Aperture  102  allows doorknob hardware  105  to protrude from decorative door cover  100  without the material of decorative door cover  100  inhibiting the mechanical action of doorknob hardware  105 . Aperture  102  may also provide access to a handle, a lever or non-protruding features of door  103 , e.g. a recess or handhold. Non-terminated end  107  provides an aperture for insertion of door  103  into an interior chamber  111  of decorative door cover  100 . See  FIG. 1C . Stitching  104  is also shown. Design  108  is shown on front panel  109  of decorative door cover  100 . It is appreciated that design  108  may vary according to the taste of a user. Item  100 ( 1 ) in  FIGS. 3A-3D , item 100 ( 2 ) in  FIG. 4 , item  100 ( 3 ) in  FIG. 5A , and item  100 ( 4 ) in  FIG. 5B  are each embodiments of decorative door cover  100 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 1B  shows decorative door cover  100  covering door  103 . Doorknob hardware  105  protrudes from aperture  102 . Roller hardware  106  protrudes from aperture  101 . Stitching  104  is also shown. Design  108  is shown on front panel  109  of decorative door cover  100 . It will be appreciated that in  FIG. 1B , the sizes of apertures  101 ,  102  relative to hardware  106 ,  105  are exemplary only. For example, aperture  102  may be smaller than doorknob hardware  105  but larger than a screw (not shown) holding doorknob hardware  105  to door  103 , such that doorknob hardware  105  is removed prior to application of decorative door cover  100 , and replaced over decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ), to provide a more continuous appearance. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1C  shows a bottom view of decorative door cover  100 . Non-terminated end  107  allows insertion of door  103  into interior chamber  111  of decorative door cover  100 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 1D  shows a top view of decorative door cover  100 . Top panel  110  has apertures  101  to allow door roller hardware  106  to protrude from top panel  110  without the material of top panel  110  inhibiting mechanical action of roller hardware  106 . 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a side view of decorative door cover  100  is shown. A side panel  200  is shown. Front panel  109  faces the exterior of a closet, room, stairwell or building, for example. A rear panel  201 , for example, faces the interior of the closet, room, stairwell or building. Door roller hardware  106  protrudes from aperture  101  in top panel  110 . Doorknob hardware  105  protrudes from aperture  102 . Non-terminated end  107  allows insertion of door  103  to the interior chamber  111  of decorative door cover  100 . An adjustment mechanism  202  adjusts to create a tighter or looser fit of decorative door cover  100  to door  103 . It will be appreciated that  FIG. 2  shows door  103  with doorknob hardware on only its front face, for ease of illustration. Rear panel  201  may also include an aperture  102  to accommodate doorknob hardware  105  protruding from the rear face of door  103 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 3A  shows a planar front view of a decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ). Decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) has apertures  102  and  301  to accommodate door hardware  105  and  302 . Apertures  301  allow door hinge hardware  302  to protrude from decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) without the material of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) inhibiting the mechanical action of door hinge hardware  302 . Aperture  102  allows doorknob hardware  105  to protrude from decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) without the material of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) inhibiting access to doorknob hardware  105  by a user. Design  108  may be displayed on the front panel  303  of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ). Non-terminated end  107  allows insertion of door  103  to the interior chamber of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ). As shown, decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) partially covers door  103 . Decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) for example slides down door  103  until apertures  301  align with door hinge hardware  302 , aperture  102  aligns with doorknob hardware  105  and top panel  110  (see  FIG. 1D ) contacts the top face of door  103 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 3B  shows a planar doorknob-side side view of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ). Aperture  300  in side panel  306  allows doorknob hardware  105  to protrude from side panel  306  without the material of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) inhibiting or affecting the mechanical action of doorknob hardware  105 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 3C  shows a planar hinge-side side view of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ). Top panel  307  contacts a top planar surface  309  of door  103 . Apertures  301  in side panel  305  allow door hinge hardware  302  to protrude from side panel  305  without the material of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) inhibiting the mechanical action of door hinge hardware  302 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 3D  shows a planar rear view of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ). Apertures  301  allow door hinge hardware  302  to protrude from decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) without the material of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) inhibiting the mechanical action of door hinge hardware  302 . Aperture  102  present in rear panel  308  allows rear doorknob hardware  105  to protrude from rear panel  308  without the material of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) inhibiting the mechanical action of doorknob hardware  105 . As described above with respect to aperture  102 , apertures  301  may be sized smaller than shown (e.g., slightly larger than screws or other hardware holding door hinge hardware  302  to door  103 ) such that door hinge hardware  302  is removed prior to application of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ) and re-applied over decorative door cover, to avoid gaps between door hinge hardware  302  and the material of decorative door cover  100 ( 1 ). 
         [0038]      FIG. 4  shows a planar side view of a decorative door cover  100 ( 2 ). Decorative door cover  100 ( 2 ) is constructed of front panel  109 , rear panel  201  and top panel  110 . Decorative door cover  100 ( 2 ) may optionally have side panels. Adjustment mechanism  202  adjusts to create a tighter or looser fit of decorative door cover  100 ( 2 ) to door  103 . Adjustment mechanism  202  as shown may attach to vertical surface of front panel  109  and rear panel  201 . Adjustment mechanism  202  may also attach to another surface of decorative door cover  100  such as bottom horizontal surface  400  or top horizontal surface  401  of front panel  109  and rear panel  201 . In certain embodiments, adjustment mechanism  202  is at least partially concealed within interior chamber  111  of the decorative door cover. 
         [0039]      FIG. 5A  shows a top view of a decorative door cover  100 ( 3 ). Decorative door cover  100 ( 3 ) includes front panel  109  and rear panel  201 . Front panel  109  and rear panel  201  may be connected by adjustment device  202  which adjusts to fit front panel  109  and rear panel  201  closer against door  103 . Adjustment device  202  may also connect vertical sides  500  of front and rear panels  109 ,  201  as well as bottom, horizontal sides of front and rear panels  109 ,  201 . Decorative door cover  100 ( 3 ) may optionally include a top panel. 
         [0040]      FIG. 5B  shows a top view of a decorative door cover  100 ( 4 ). Decorative door cover  100 ( 4 ) includes front panel  109 , rear panel  201  and side panels  501 , and may optionally include a top panel. Adjustment device  202  secures decorative door cover  100 ( 4 ) with door  103 , and may be tightened or loosened to vary the snugness of decorative door cover  100 ( 4 ), e.g., front and rear panels  109 ,  201 , against door  103 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  shows a front planar view of decorative door cover  100 . Decorative door cover  100  may comprise additional materials and accessories for modular alterations of decorative door cover  100 . As shown, ball  601  may removably adhere to decorative door cover  100  by, for example, hook and loop e.g. VELCRO®. Design  108  is for example a target including hook and loop elements for “catching” ball  601  when ball  601  is thrown at the target. Alternately, ball  601  includes hook and loop elements for sticking to target  108  (or elsewhere where decorative door cover  100  includes material of suitable friction). 
         [0042]    Decorative door cover  100 , as described herein, may be constructed to form fit over standard hinged, pocket or sliding doors. For example, decorative door cover  100  may be constructed with an interior chamber  111  having dimensions to accommodate a door of about 80 inches by 30 inches. Door dimensions for example range from about 18-36 inches in width, about 76-85 inches in height and about 1.0-2.5 inches in depth. It is appreciated that interior chamber  111  may be sized to provide a custom fit for any door dimension. 
         [0043]    Adjustment mechanism  202  may be attached to one or more panels of decorative door cover  100  to alter the fit of the decorative door cover on door  103  and to form fit door  103 . Adjustment mechanism  202  may include zippers, hook and loop, e.g. VELCRO®, fasteners, magnets, buttons, adjustable straps, cords, buckles, snap buttons, cam straps, spring buckle straps, ring straps, slide release buckle straps, hooks and eyelets, elastomeric material and devices and combinations thereof. Adjustment mechanism  202  may be attached to one or more portions of side panels  200 , front and rear panels  109 ,  201  and combinations therein so that fit may be adjusted by compressing or expanding a distance between front panel  109  rear panel  201  and/or side panel  200  and top panels  110  of decorative door cover  100 . In an alternative embodiment, adjustment mechanism  202  may be attached to rear panel  201  of decorative door cover  100  and may expand or contract in the horizontal plane, vertical plane, or both. 
         [0044]    In an embodiment, adjustment mechanism  202  may be present at non-terminated end  107 . 
         [0045]    In still another embodiment decorative door cover  100  may include one or more pockets for storage. Pockets may be transparent or opaque and may be sealable or open. Pockets may be modular and removably attached to decorative door cover  100  (e.g., via hook and loop fasteners, snaps or other fastening devices). 
         [0046]    In an embodiment, decorative door cover  100  may include hook and loop materials and accessories for decorative alterations. For example, a VELCRO® target and balls may be incorporated into decorative door cover  100  to provide a target game. In an alternative arrangement a mini basketball backboard and net may be incorporated into decorative door cover to provide a basketball shooting game. 
         [0047]    In certain embodiments, decorative door cover  100  is formed from a number of pieces of material, and fasteners such as stitches, snaps, rivets, staples, and/or glue secure together at least two of the pieces of material. 
         [0048]    Changes may be made in the above methods and systems without departing from the scope hereof. It should thus be noted that the matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.