Patent Application
20140223697
This invention generally relates to removable hardware structures utilized in residential settings, and more particularly to removable hardware structures used on doors.
There is a growing trend of decorating residential doors such as garage doors or entry doors with certain hardware elements that are decorative, e.g. handles, hinge plates, etc. One typical location for these decorative elements is the garage door. The inclusion of such elements ordinarily requires fixing such elements to an outer surface of the door using screws, rivets, or the like.
Unfortunately, over time such hardware elements can become damaged, or alternatively, become undesirable due to changes in decorating preferences. However, once these elements are removed, a hole or holes in the outer surface of the door they were associated with remains. This hole is a result of the mounting hardware, e.g. screws, rivets, etc. used to mount the decorative element to the door. Given that the outer wall of the door is very thin, the hole often times becomes misshapen, and thus cannot properly accommodate a replacement fastener of a new decorative hardware element. As a result, using this existing misshapen mounting hole results in a loose fit of the new decorative hardware element to the door, which is not in any way desirable. Further, even where a replacement decorative element is not desired, the misshapen hole is not readily patchable so as to conceal it.
To eliminate the aforementioned problems, installers typically replace the entire door, or a section thereof, so that new holes may be created using screws, rivets, etc. to fixedly attach a new decorative hardware element, or so that the previous holes are eliminated in instances where replacement decorative hardware elements will not be utilized. Such a process is relatively very costly and labor intensive. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a decorative hardware element that does not require drilling, riveting, or otherwise damaging a door to mount the same.
The invention provides such a decorative hardware element included in a hardware structure. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
In one aspect, the invention provides a removable hardware structure comprising a hardware element and attachment element. The removable hardware structure does not require drilling, riveting, or otherwise damaging a mounting surface that will receive the removable hardware structure.
An embodiment of a removable hardware structure includes a hardware element and an attachment element for securing the hardware element to a portion of a mounting surface. The attachment element is configured such that securing the hardware element to the portion of the mounting surface does not require puncturing the portion of the mounting surface.
The hardware element of the removable hardware structure has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface provides for at least one protrusion and the bottom surface provides for at least one recess. In certain embodiments the at least one protrusion may take the form of the top of a screw.
The attachment element in an embodiment may be magnetic, while in yet others it may be an adhesive pad, while in still others it may be an adhesive pad or in still further embodiments it may be an adhesive.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a removable hardware structure comprising a hardware element that has a top surface and a bottom surface. The removable hardware structure is further comprised of an attachment element for securing the hardware element to an aperture-free portion of a mounting surface. The attachment element is positioned in a recess which extends into the bottom surface of the hardware element. The attachment element is configured to secure the hardware element to the aperture-free portion of the mounting surface. In certain embodiments the hardware element may be metal and may be handle shaped or a hinge plate.
The bottom surface of the hardware element defines at least one blind hole. The top surface may comprise at least one protrusion in the form of a top of a screw that extends from the top surface of the hardware element. In certain embodiments each of the at least one blind holes may be axially aligned with each of the at least one protrusions. Other embodiments may provide for a magnetic attachment element. In yet other embodiments the attachment elements may be an adhesive pad. In still other embodiments the attachment element is an adhesive.
Another inventive aspect of the present invention provides a method for installing a removable hardware structure. The method is comprised of the steps of cleaning a portion of a mounting surface to free the surface from loose debris and dust. In the next step a bottom surface of the hardware element with an attachment element is fixed to the portion of the mounting surface. The fixation is done so as to leave the portion of the mounting surface in an aperture free condition. In certain embodiments of the method the removable hardware structure is a hinge plate. In other embodiments the removable hardware structure is handle shaped. In yet other embodiments the attachment element may be magnetic while in still others the attachment element may be an adhesive.
Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Turning now to the drawings, several embodiments of a removable hardware structure according to the teachings of the present invention are illustrated. With specific reference to
Garage door 20 opens vertically, however, the arrangement of removable hardware structures 22, 24 give the impression that garage door 20 has two separate side opening entryways. Indeed, removable hardware structure 22 is in the form of a hinge plate while removable hardware structure 24 is in the form of a handle. This arrangement gives the impression of side opening doorways as opposed to a vertically opening garage door characteristic of garage door 20 illustrated in
Turning now to
Turning now to
As stated above, attachment elements 38 may be magnetic, take the form of an adhesive pad, also, attachment elements 38 may be embodied as an amount of adhesive situated in recesses 36. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various types of magnets, adhesive pads, and/or adhesives may be utilized for attachment elements 38. Whichever one or combination of attachment elements 38 are utilized, it will be recognized that the same provide for a non-permanent and non-destructive means for attaching removable hardware structure 22 to a door or other surface such as that illustrated by mounting surface 12 of doors 20, 26 shown in
The attachment elements 38 further provide an advantageous safety feature. That is, with a garage door 20, 26 in the closed position, it may come to pass that a child grasps the hardware element 10 on the outside of the garage door while unbeknownst to the child, from inside the garage, the door may be actuated to open. In such an instance, because the hardware element 10 is removable, as the door lifts, the child will not be carried up with the door because the removable hardware structure 22, 24 cannot support the weight of the child. As such, the hardware structure 22 detaches from the mounting surface of the garage door and thus preventing the child from being lifted with the door.
As introduced above, removable hardware structures 22, 24 advantageously allow for the attachment thereof to a door such as doors 20, 26 respectively shown in
Removable hardware structures 22, 24 may be supplied with attachment elements 38, 48 already installed in recesses 36, 46 of hardware elements 10, 14. Alternatively, the hardware elements 10, 14 of removable hardware structures 22, 24 may simply be supplied with recesses 36, 46 for subsequent introduction of attachment elements 38, 48 at an installation site. Hardware elements 10, 14 may be formed from a variety of materials including but not limited to metals, plastics, and/or composites. Methods of manufacturing hardware elements 10, 14 may include machining, injection molding, casting, etc.
As described above, removable hardware structures 22, 24 advantageously overcome prior designs by utilizing non-permanent, non-damaging attachment means for affixing the same to a surface. As a result, to the extent that a user chooses to replace or relocate removable hardware structures 22, 24 such replacement and relocation may be achieved without also replacing or repairing a section of door at which removable hardware structure 22 or removable hardware structure 24 was previously located at.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/763,220, filed Feb. 11, 2013, the entire teachings and disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61763220 | Feb 2013 | US |
