U.S. patent application number 11/487219 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-25 for interchangeable face plate.
Invention is credited to Dean D. Hacker, Elliott Hsu.
Application Number | 20070018541 11/487219 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37669415 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070018541 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hacker; Dean D. ; et
al. |
January 25, 2007 |
Interchangeable face plate
Abstract
A safe is provided with an enclosure, a door, and a face plate.
The enclosure includes a front portion having an opening. The door
includes front and rear surfaces, upper and lower edges, a hinged
portion, and a locking portion. The hinged portion is hingedly
mounted to the enclosure for movement between closed and open
positions. The locking portion is adapted to lockingly engage the
enclosure to cover the front portion opening when the door is in
the closed position. The face plate includes a front ornamental
surface, a rear door-engaging surface, and at least one mating
feature adapted to engage a corresponding mating feature on the
door to selectively attach the face plate to the door.
Inventors: |
Hacker; Dean D.; (Oak Creek,
WI) ; Hsu; Elliott; (Raleigh, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CALFEE, HALTER & GRISWOLD LLP
1400 MCDONALD INVESTMENT CENTER
800 SUPERIOR AVENUE
CLEVELAND
OH
44114
US
|
Family ID: |
37669415 |
Appl. No.: |
11/487219 |
Filed: |
July 14, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60699199 |
Jul 14, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/204 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05G 1/02 20130101; E05G
1/026 20130101; E05G 1/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/204 |
International
Class: |
A47B 17/04 20060101
A47B017/04 |
Claims
1. A safe comprising: an enclosure including a front portion having
an opening; a door including front and rear surfaces, upper and
lower edges, a hinged portion, and a locking portion, the hinged
portion being hingedly mounted to the enclosure for movement
between closed and open positions, and the locking portion being
adapted to lockingly engage the enclosure to cover the front
portion opening when the door is in the closed position; and a face
plate comprising a front ornamental surface, a rear door-engaging
surface, and at least one mating feature adapted to engage a
corresponding mating feature on the door to selectively attach the
face plate to the door.
2. The safe of claim 1, wherein the face plate comprises first and
second mating features.
3. The safe of claim 1, wherein the face plate comprises an opening
adapted to align with a lock interface feature disposed on the
front surface of the door to allow access to the lock interface
feature when the face plate is attached to the door.
4. The safe of claim 1, wherein the at least one face plate mating
feature comprises a locking tab extending from the door-engaging
surface, and the corresponding door mating feature comprises a
complementary shaped slot.
5. The safe of claim 4, wherein the locking tab comprises a
protrusion, wherein when the locking tab is received in the slot,
the protrusion snaps into engagement with a recess in the slot.
6. The safe of claim 5, wherein the recess is open to one of the
upper edge, the lower edge, and the rear surface, such that when
the face plate is attached to the door, the protrusion may be
accessed for disengagement from the recess to detach the face plate
from the door.
7. The safe of claim 1, wherein the face plate further comprises at
least one alignment feature adapted to engage a corresponding
alignment feature on the door to orient the face plate with respect
to the door when the face plate is attached to the door.
8. The safe of claim 7, wherein the at least one face plate
alignment feature comprises a stake extending from the
door-engaging surface, and the corresponding door alignment feature
comprises a complementary shaped hole.
9. The safe of claim 1, wherein the at least one face plate mating
feature comprises a stake extending from the door-engaging surface,
and the corresponding door mating feature comprises a complementary
shaped hole.
10. The safe of claim 9, wherein the stake is radially
compressible, such that engagement between the stake and the hole
comprises an interference fit.
11. The safe of claim 10, wherein the hole comprises an outer
portion having a first diameter and an inner portion having a
second larger diameter, wherein the inner portion of the hole
allows an end portion of the radially compressed stake to expand
for locking engagement between the stake and the hole.
12. The safe of claim 11, wherein the end portion of the stake
comprises a radially extending protrusion.
13. The safe of claim 1, wherein the face plate comprises
plastic.
14. The safe of claim 1, wherein the face plate is sized to
substantially cover the front surface of the door.
15. A customizable safe comprising: an enclosure including a front
portion having an opening; a door including front and rear
surfaces, upper and lower edges, a hinged portion, and a locking
portion, the hinged portion being hingedly mounted to the enclosure
for movement between closed and open positions, and the locking
portion being adapted to lockingly engage the enclosure to cover
the front portion opening when the door is in the closed position;
and first and second face plates each comprising a front ornamental
surface, a rear door-engaging surface, and at least one means for
selectively attaching one of the first and second face plates to
the door, wherein the front ornamental surfaces of the first and
second face plates are different in appearance, such that
detachment of one of the first and second face plates from the door
and subsequent attachment of the other of the first and second face
plates to the door substantially alters the appearance of the
safe.
16. The customizable safe of claim 15, wherein each of the first
and second face plates is sized to substantially cover the front
surface of the door.
17. A method for customizing a safe comprising: providing a safe
comprising an enclosure including a front portion having an
opening, and a door including front and rear surfaces, upper and
lower edges, a hinged portion, and a locking portion, the hinged
portion being hingedly mounted to the enclosure for movement
between closed and open positions, and the locking portion being
adapted to lockingly engage the enclosure to cover the front
portion opening when the door is in the closed position; and
selectively attaching a face plate to the door to substantially
cover the front surface of the door.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein attaching a face plate to the
door comprises engaging at least one mating feature on the face
plate with a corresponding mating feature on the door.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein engaging at least one mating
feature on the face plate with a corresponding mating feature on
the door comprises inserting a locking tab on the face plate into a
complementary shaped slot in the door.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein engaging at least one mating
feature on the face plate with a corresponding mating feature on
the door comprises pressing a radially compressible stake on the
face plate into a complementary shaped hole in the door.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 60/699,199, filed Jul. 14, 2005, the entire
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an interchangeable face
plate and more specifically to an interchangeable face plate
suitable for a safe.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Safes are used in commercial and residential environments to
secure items against theft, fire and other damaging elements.
Despite being used in a variety of settings and room decors, safes
are not typically designed and marketed in customized styles.
Limitations on safe customization include the relatively high cost
of replacing or modifying a safe, and the materials used to
construct a safe, many of which require fire proof and tamper proof
properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, a
customizing fascia or face plate may be selectively attached to a
door of a safe to alter the appearance of the safe. In one
embodiment, a safe is provided with an enclosure, a door, and a
face plate. The enclosure includes a front portion having an
opening. The door includes front and rear surfaces, upper and lower
edges, a hinged portion, and a locking portion. The hinged portion
is hingedly mounted to the enclosure for movement between closed
and open positions. The locking portion is adapted to lockingly
engage the enclosure to cover the front portion opening when the
door is in the closed position. The face plate includes a front
ornamental surface, a rear door-engaging surface, and at least one
mating feature adapted to engage a corresponding mating feature on
the door to selectively attach the face plate to the door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Further features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description made with
reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a side view of a safe assembly;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the safe assembly of FIG. 1
with several exemplary face plates;
[0008] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the safe assembly
of FIG. 1, showing a safe enclosure, a safe door and several
exemplary face plates;
[0009] FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of a safe assembly;
[0010] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the safe door and
face plate of FIG. 4;
[0011] FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the face plate of FIG.
4;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the safe door of FIG.
4;
[0013] FIG. 8 is a side oriented perspective view, partially in
section, of a connection between the safe door and face plate of
FIG. 4;
[0014] FIG. 9 is an exploded side view of a safe assembly;
[0015] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the safe door and
face plate of FIG. 9;
[0016] FIG. 11 is a rear perspective view of the face plate of FIG.
9;
[0017] FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of the safe door of FIG.
9; and
[0018] FIG. 13 is a side oriented view, partially in section, of a
connection between the safe door and face plate of FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] This Detailed Description of the Invention merely describes
embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope
of the claims in any way. Indeed, the invention as described is
broader than and unlimited by the preferred embodiments, and the
terms used have their full ordinary meaning.
[0020] According to an aspect of the present application, a
customizable door for an enclosure, such as, for example, a safe,
may be provided, allowing a user to change the appearance of the
structure without replacing the door, or modifying or replacing the
structure. As one example, a fascia or face plate may be provided
for selective attachment with the door, wherein the face plate
alters the appearance of the door. The face plate may, but need
not, be attached to the door in such a way that it does not
interfere with operation of the door. To facilitate attachment of
the face plate to the door, one or more corresponding mating
features may be provided on each of the face plate and the door,
with the mating features of the face plate engaging the
corresponding mating features of the door to attach the face plate
to the door.
[0021] The exemplary embodiments of the customizable safe offer
several benefits, including, for example, increased flexibility and
reduced costs. By limiting customization to a primarily cosmetic
external component, such as a face plate, less expensive materials,
such as plastic, may be used, as their use will not compromise the
structural integrity or temperature ratings of the safe door and
enclosure. The adaptability of a selectively attachable face plate
allows for quick, simple, and inexpensive customization by the
manufacturer, retailer, or end user, to accommodate style
preferences or conformity with the aesthetics of other items in
proximity with the safe.
[0022] FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate side, front perspective, and
exploded front perspective views of an exemplary safe assembly 10.
The assembly 10 includes an enclosure 20, a door 30, and a
selectively attachable face plate 40. As illustrated, the door 30
may, but need not, completely cover a front portion of the
enclosure 20 when the door 30 is closed, such that the closed door
30 covers an opening in the front portion through which items may
be deposited into and retrieved from the safe enclosure. The
exemplary door 30 includes a hinge portion 30a that is hinge
mounted to a side portion of the enclosure 20; however, the door 30
may be mounted to other locations of the enclosure and through the
use of other mounting mechanisms. The door 30 also includes a
locking portion 30b that is adapted to lockingly engage the
enclosure when the door 30 is closed. While the illustrated
embodiment shows a combination lock and locking bolt type locking
mechanism, many different locking mechanisms may be used.
Alternatively, in the case of a fireproof safe or enclosure
intending only to store or protect items, without preventing access
to the items, the safe or other such assembly may be provided
without a locking mechanism.
[0023] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the safe 10 may be provided with
one or more face plates 40, 40a, 40b for selective attachment to
the door 30. The face plate 40 may be provided with an ornamental
front surface 42 and a door-engaging rear surface, examples of
which are shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 4-13. The front surface
42 may be provided with a wide variety and degree of ornamentation,
which may include, for example, a wide variety of colors, textures,
patterns, artwork, contours, and genuine or imitation materials.
While the illustrated face plates 40, 40a, 40b are primarily
ornamental in nature, face plates according to other exemplary
embodiments (not shown) may also be provided with functional
aspects, including, for example, writing surfaces, instructional or
identification labels, storage pockets, or light sources, such as
light emitting diodes. By selecting and attaching a desired face
plate, a preferred ornamentation and/or functionality may be
provided without replacing the safe 10 or safe door 30.
[0024] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the face plates 40, 40a,
40b may be provided with one or more openings that align with
features projecting from the front surface of the door, such as
lock interface features including handles, combination dials,
and/or key holes, to accommodate access to these features. In the
illustrated embodiments, openings 46, 47 align with the handle 36
and combination dial 37 of the door 30 to allow access to the
handle 36 and dial 37, while still allowing the face plate 40 to
substantially cover the front surface of the door. In other
embodiments, it may be desirable to provide a face plate that
covers or conceals certain features of the door to obscure
visibility of these features. For example, the face plate may be
made to resemble a blank panel, painting, wall surface, or other
such item to conceal the presence of the safe when the door is
closed.
[0025] A face plate may be selectively attached to the front of a
door, such as a safe door, by many different mechanisms or
configurations. In one embodiment, the face plate may be
permanently attached to the safe door. In other embodiments, the
face plate may be detachable from the door for access to the front
surface of the door, for cleaning, repair or modification of the
face plate, or for replacement of the face plate with a different
face plate to be attached to the door.
[0026] According to an aspect of the present application, the face
plate may be provided with one or more mating features that engage
corresponding mating features on the door to attach the face plate
to the door. Many different mating features may be used to provide
temporary or permanent attachment of the face plate to the door. In
one embodiment, one or more locking tabs may be provided on the
face plate and corresponding slots may be provided in the door. The
locking tabs may be flexible, allowing the tabs to snap into
engagement with the slots. FIGS. 4-8 illustrate one such example
embodiment of a safe door and face plate attachment
arrangement.
[0027] In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 4-8, a safe assembly
100 includes a face plate 140 provided with upper and lower locking
tabs 145a, 145b that extend from a door-engaging surface 144 of the
face plate 140. While the illustrated example includes one locking
tab 145a on an upper edge of the face plate 140 and one locking tab
145b on a lower edge of the face plate 140, any number and position
of locking tabs and corresponding slots may be utilized. The
locking tabs 145a, 145b are positioned to align with corresponding
slots 135a, 135b in a front surface 134 of the door 130. The
locking tabs 145a, 145b may be made of a flexible material, such as
plastic, which may allow the tabs 145a, 145b to flex and snap into
engagement with the slots 135a, 135b. Further, the locking tabs
145a, 145b may be provided with one or more lateral projections
148a, 148b adapted to snap into engagement with corresponding
recesses 138a, 138b in the slots 135a, 135b to attach the face
plate 140 to the door 130. As best shown in FIG. 8, the recesses
138a, 138b may extend to outer surfaces of the door 130, such as,
for example, the upper and lower edges of the door 130. In such an
embodiment, a user may access the projections 148a, 148b to depress
them out of engagement with the recesses 138a, 138b for separation
of the face plate 140 from the door 130.
[0028] According to another aspect of the present application, one
or more alignment features may be provided on the face plate and/or
on the door to facilitate attachment of the face plate to the door.
Many different types of alignment features may be provided,
including, for example, a lip or lips on the face plate that align
with an edge or edges of the door, or one or more alignment stakes
on one of the face plate and the door that align with corresponding
alignment holes on the other of the face plate and the door. In the
exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 4-8, the face plate 140 is provided
with alignment stakes 143 that extend from the door-engaging
surface 144 of the face plate 140. While the illustrated example
includes one alignment stake 143 on each side edge of the face
plate 140, any number and position of alignment stakes and
corresponding holes may be utilized. The alignment stakes 143 are
positioned to align with corresponding alignment holes 133 in the
front surface 134 of the door 130. As shown, the ends of the stakes
143 may be contoured to guide the stakes 143 into alignment with
the holes 133. In addition to providing an alignment feature, the
stakes 143 and holes 133 may, but need not, provide supplemental
attachment of the face plate 140 to the door 130. In the
illustrated example, this may assist in providing a flush
attachment between the side edges of the face pate 140 and the door
130, which, in this exemplary embodiment, are not provided with
locking tab and slot features.
[0029] In another embodiment, a face plate may be provided with one
or more radially compressible stakes that align with and are
received in corresponding holes in a front surface of a safe door.
The stakes may be made radially compressible by a variety of
mechanisms or configurations, such as, for example, making the
stakes from a plastic material and/or providing slotted or hollow
portions in the stakes. The stakes and holes may be provided with
an interference fit to secure the face plate to the door when the
stakes are inserted in the holes. Further, the holes may be
provided with wider portions that allow portions of the compressed
stakes to expand upon alignment with the wider portions, causing
the stakes to lock into engagement with the holes. FIGS. 9-13
illustrate one such example embodiment of a safe door and face
plate attachment arrangement.
[0030] In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 9-13, a safe assembly
200 includes a face plate 240 provided with radially compressible
stakes 245 that extend from a door-engaging surface 244 of the face
plate 240. While the illustrated embodiment uses five compressible
stakes 245, with one stake at each corner of the door-engaging
surface 244 and one stake at a central region of the door-engaging
surface 244, any number of stakes in any number of locations may be
provided. The stakes 245 are positioned to align with corresponding
receiving holes 235 in a front surface 234 of the door 230. The
stakes 245 may be made of a flexible material, such as plastic, to
allow the stakes 245 to radially compress when inserted into the
holes 235. As best shown in FIG. 13, the stakes 245 may also be
provided with slotted portions 249, which allow the stakes 245 to
compress when squeezed into the holes 235. Further, as shown in
FIG. 13, the stakes 245 may be provided with enlarged ends 248
which align with wider portions 238 of the holes 235 when the face
plate 240 is attached to the door 230. Upon alignment of the
enlarged ends 248 with the wider portions 238 of the holes 235, the
compressed ends 248 are allowed to expand, locking the stakes 245
into engagement with the holes 235.
[0031] In some embodiments, the stakes 245 and holes 235 may be
contoured to allow the stakes to re-compress and disengage from the
holes when the face plate 240 is pried away from the door, allowing
the face plate to be re-attached to the door 230 or to a different
safe door. In other embodiments, destructive removal of the face
plate may be necessary, in which the stakes 245 remain deformed or
plastically compressed, or are severed from the face plate 240 when
the face plate 240 is pried off of the door 230. The availability
of inexpensive replacement face plates makes this type of
destructive removal a reasonable option for modifying the
appearance of the safe.
[0032] In customizing a safe according to an aspect of the present
application, a safe is provided with an enclosure including a front
portion having an opening, and a door including front and rear
surfaces, upper and lower edges, a hinged portion, and a locking
portion. The hinged portion is hingedly mounted to the enclosure
for movement between closed and open positions. The locking portion
is adapted to lockingly engage the enclosure to cover the front
portion opening when the door is in the closed position. A face
plate is selectively attached to the door to substantially cover
the front surface of the door. In one embodiment, attaching a face
plate to the door includes engaging at least one mating feature on
the face plate with a corresponding mating feature on the door. In
one such exemplary embodiment, engaging at least one mating feature
on the face plate with a corresponding mating feature on the door
is accomplished by inserting a locking tab on the face plate into a
complementary shaped slot in the door, for example, as described in
the embodiment of FIGS. 4-8. In another exemplary embodiment,
engaging at least one mating feature on the face plate with a
corresponding mating feature on the door is accomplished by
pressing a radially compressible stake on the face plate into a
complementary shaped hole in the door, for example, as described in
the embodiment of FIGS. 9-13.
[0033] While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of
the inventions may be described and illustrated herein as embodied
in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects,
concepts and features may be used in many alternative embodiments,
either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations
thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations and
sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present
inventions. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as
to the various aspects, concepts and features of the
inventions--such as alternative materials, structures,
configurations, methods, circuits, devices and components,
software, hardware, control logic, alternatives as to form, fit and
function, and so on--may be described herein, such descriptions are
not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available
alternative embodiments, whether presently known or later
developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more
of the inventive aspects, concepts or features into additional
embodiments and uses within the scope of the present inventions
even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein.
Additionally, even though some features, concepts or aspects of the
inventions may be described herein as being a preferred arrangement
or method, such description is not intended to suggest that such
feature is required or necessary unless expressly so stated. Still
further, exemplary or representative values and ranges may be
included to assist in understanding the present disclosure;
however, such values and ranges are not to be construed in a
limiting sense and are intended to be critical values or ranges
only if so expressly stated. Moreover, while various aspects,
features and concepts may be expressly identified herein as being
inventive or forming part of an invention, such identification is
not intended to be exclusive, but rather there may be inventive
aspects, concepts and features that are fully described herein
without being expressly identified as such or as part of a specific
invention, the inventions instead being set forth in the appended
claims. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes are not
limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases,
nor is the order that the steps are presented to be construed as
required or necessary unless expressly so stated.
* * * * *