Embodiments relate to hardware assemblies, such as for use with interchangeable accessories.
Hardware components, such as towel bars, tissue holders, towel rings, hooks, shelving, and the like are typically mounted to a support surface, such as a wall. The prior art has provided hardware assemblies with various post and base configurations.
According to at least one embodiment, a hardware assembly is provided with a base for mounting to a support surface, the base having a longitudinal axis. A receiving member extends outwardly from the base along the longitudinal axis, the receiving member having an aperture. A hardware component is mounted to the receiving member in a plane that includes the longitudinal axis.
According to at least another embodiment, a hardware assembly is provided having first and second bases for mounting to a support surface, the first and second bases having first and second longitudinal axes, respectively. First and second receiving members extend outwardly from the first and second bases along the first and second longitudinal axes, respectively, the first and second receiving members each having an aperture. A hardware component is mounted to the first and second receiving members in a plane that includes the first and second longitudinal axes.
According to at least another embodiment, a hardware assembly is provided with a base for mounting to a support surface, the base having a longitudinal axis. A receiving member extends outwardly from the base along the longitudinal axis, the receiving member having an aperture. A hardware component is mounted to the receiving member in a plane that includes the longitudinal axis, and an accessory is removably received within the receiving member aperture.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
With reference first to
Although a hardware component 20 comprising a towel bar is illustrated in
The receiving member 16 provides a storage solution built into the design of the hardware assembly 10 for temporary and permanent storage of everyday items. The receiving member 16 may removably receive a plurality of interchangeable accessories 24, allowing a user to increase the functionality of the hardware assembly 10 as well as to personalize their hardware and provide additional decorative options. For example,
In addition to receiving accessories 24, the receiving member 16 may be used to store items such as curling irons or hair dryers, as depicted in
In another embodiment, the receiving member 16′ may have a platform configuration with an aperture 18′ therein as shown in
As shown, for example, in
Since the receiving member 16, 16′ replaces a standard post in the hardware assembly 10, 10′, the receiving member 16, 16′ offers additional functionality while maintaining a compact footprint of the hardware assembly 10, 10′ within the desired living space, and minimizes the packaging required. In the embodiment of
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
618425 | Manger | Jan 1899 | A |
644080 | Huebel | Feb 1900 | A |
904150 | Robinson | Nov 1908 | A |
970485 | Frey | Sep 1910 | A |
1117771 | Boehm | Nov 1914 | A |
1425459 | Eggert | Aug 1922 | A |
D64905 | Jordan | Jun 1924 | S |
2315566 | Watral et al. | Apr 1943 | A |
D144567 | Hoppe | Apr 1946 | S |
D145934 | Gerity | Nov 1946 | S |
2451550 | Haller | Oct 1948 | A |
D157147 | Hallenscheid | Feb 1950 | S |
2522174 | Hermsmeyer | Sep 1950 | A |
D173824 | Toner | Jan 1955 | S |
D189838 | Larson et al. | Mar 1961 | S |
3866873 | Bohli | Feb 1975 | A |
D253380 | Pittenger | Nov 1979 | S |
D271234 | Bennato | Nov 1983 | S |
4465198 | Martin | Aug 1984 | A |
D282704 | Burnett | Feb 1986 | S |
D283283 | Sollen | Apr 1986 | S |
D294906 | Pool | Mar 1988 | S |
4773348 | Rowley | Sep 1988 | A |
4854456 | Lee | Aug 1989 | A |
D306689 | Hamann | Mar 1990 | S |
5071099 | Kuo | Dec 1991 | A |
D330823 | Gomes et al. | Nov 1992 | S |
5186427 | Semchuck | Feb 1993 | A |
D337681 | Sharpe | Jul 1993 | S |
D347346 | Shames et al. | May 1994 | S |
D349206 | Fischer | Aug 1994 | S |
D356708 | Shames | Mar 1995 | S |
5429252 | Liu | Jul 1995 | A |
5433152 | Henry | Jul 1995 | A |
D369050 | Sargent et al. | Apr 1996 | S |
D371735 | Motta | Jul 1996 | S |
D386342 | Moore | Nov 1997 | S |
D386343 | Moore | Nov 1997 | S |
D402144 | Weirich | Dec 1998 | S |
D405997 | Mahlmann | Feb 1999 | S |
D416153 | Chen | Nov 1999 | S |
D416730 | Chen | Nov 1999 | S |
D417993 | Mahlmann | Dec 1999 | S |
D423885 | Duggan | May 2000 | S |
D424348 | Duggan | May 2000 | S |
D424349 | Duggan | May 2000 | S |
D425742 | Duggan | May 2000 | S |
D432832 | Gastelum et al. | Oct 2000 | S |
D432834 | Gastelum et al. | Oct 2000 | S |
D432837 | Gastelum et al. | Oct 2000 | S |
D432842 | Gastelum et al. | Oct 2000 | S |
D434259 | Gastelum et al. | Nov 2000 | S |
D435434 | Kampe | Dec 2000 | S |
D436453 | Gastelum et al. | Jan 2001 | S |
D436478 | Mahlmann | Jan 2001 | S |
D437157 | Gastelum et al. | Feb 2001 | S |
D437159 | Fiegl et al. | Feb 2001 | S |
D437717 | Solowiej | Feb 2001 | S |
D438735 | Mahlmann | Mar 2001 | S |
D441232 | Wu | May 2001 | S |
D441236 | Gottwald | May 2001 | S |
6250481 | Chang et al. | Jun 2001 | B1 |
D451326 | Gottwald | Dec 2001 | S |
6334541 | Chang | Jan 2002 | B1 |
D453646 | Gottwald | Feb 2002 | S |
D455035 | Meck et al. | Apr 2002 | S |
D455589 | Hoernig | Apr 2002 | S |
D456195 | Meck et al. | Apr 2002 | S |
D458787 | Meck et al. | Jun 2002 | S |
6422401 | Roten | Jul 2002 | B1 |
D461353 | Gilbert | Aug 2002 | S |
D472089 | Goodman et al. | Mar 2003 | S |
D475878 | Knable, III | Jun 2003 | S |
D476838 | Hoernig | Jul 2003 | S |
D477169 | Hoernig | Jul 2003 | S |
D477732 | Hoernig | Jul 2003 | S |
6609689 | Knapp | Aug 2003 | B1 |
6635332 | McArthur | Oct 2003 | B1 |
D481571 | Henderson et al. | Nov 2003 | S |
6698602 | Taylor | Mar 2004 | B2 |
D492526 | Ayers et al. | Jul 2004 | S |
D493646 | Hoernig | Aug 2004 | S |
D494397 | Ayers et al. | Aug 2004 | S |
D498379 | Wu | Nov 2004 | S |
D507443 | Gilbert | Jul 2005 | S |
D555959 | Rubin | Nov 2007 | S |
D566442 | Rubin | Apr 2008 | S |
7520397 | Segale | Apr 2009 | B1 |
7571532 | Zimmerman | Aug 2009 | B2 |
D604543 | Urquiola | Nov 2009 | S |
7900798 | Allen | Mar 2011 | B1 |
8550263 | Martin | Oct 2013 | B2 |
8671545 | Zimmerman | Mar 2014 | B1 |
20020190170 | Ting | Dec 2002 | A1 |
20040149875 | Reynolds et al. | Aug 2004 | A1 |
20090223912 | Chen | Sep 2009 | A1 |
20090308995 | Kuo | Dec 2009 | A1 |
20150014505 | Edwards | Jan 2015 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
128195 | Oct 1928 | CH |
645798 | Oct 1984 | CH |
477788 | Jun 1929 | DE |
617022 | Aug 1935 | DE |
29509390 | Aug 1995 | DE |
0566937 | Oct 1993 | EP |
0566937 | Jun 1996 | EP |
1145675 | Oct 2001 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20150014505 A1 | Jan 2015 | US |