Furniture article with interchangeable panel set

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11877656-B1
Application number	US-202117386274-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 27, 2021
Priority date	Jun 13, 2012
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

Furniture, such as a bed, dresser, cabinetry has a display system affixing a stack of interchangeable decorative panels to the furniture. The display system has an overlaying panelar frame that captures the stack of panels and has at least one elongated fastener securing the overlaying panelar frame on to a surface of the furniture item. The stack of interchangeable panels are each visually different such as having different colors and/or patterns and can be sandwiched between the overlaying panelar frame and the mounting surface in a pocket to immovably maintain the interchangeable panels against the furniture component. The stack of interchangeable panels can be rearranged such that a different panel is placed on top of the stack or the outermost position and thereby be visible through the opening in the overlaying panelar frame.

First claim

I claim:

1. A piece of furniture with a display system, comprising:
a furniture panel having an exteriorly exposed vertical planar surface extending outwardly from a display area;
a display frame overlaying the planar surface, the display frame comprising a primary frame and a secondary structure, the primary frame comprising four frame members arranged in a rectangle, the secondary structure connected to and extending from the four frame members, the display frame and the furniture panel defining a six-sided pocket;
a stack disposed inside the six-sided pocket, the stack comprising a plurality of interchangeable decorative panels, each of the interchangeable decorative panels having two opposing side surfaces and four edges; and
an elongate fastener extending through the secondary structure and the stack, the elongate fastener removably securing the four frame members to the furniture panel via the secondary structure, the elongate fastener extending in a direction orthogonal to the planar surface of the furniture panel,
wherein the planar surface extends to four peripheral edges, and wherein the four frame members of the display frame are spaced from the four peripheral edges such that an uncovered portion of the planar surface is exposed between the overlaying display frame and the four peripheral edges.

2. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 1 further comprising a knob attached to the elongate fastener with the secondary structure and the stack of interchangeable decorative panels disposed between the knob and a head of the fastener, the knob compressing the secondary structure and the stack of interchangeable decorative panels against the furniture panel.

3. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 1 , wherein each of the decorative panels defines an aperture, the apertures in alignment when the decorative panels are in the stack, and wherein the fastener extends through the apertures of the decorative panels.

4. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 3 , wherein each of the interchangeable decorative panels further comprises a plurality of flexible fingers surrounding the aperture defined by the decorative panel, whereby the plurality of flexible fingers flex individually.

5. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 3 , wherein a locating nub is engaged in the collective apertures of the stack of interchangeable decorative panels, the locating nub having a diameter greater than a shaft of the elongate fastener, and the elongate fastener extending through the locating nub.

6. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 5 , wherein the locating nub is unitary with the display frame.

7. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 1 wherein a second elongate fastener secures the overlaying display frame to the planar surface and the piece of furniture with the display system further comprising a pair of knobs outwardly exposed and each attached respectively to one of the two elongate fasteners.

8. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 1 wherein the overlaying display frame comprises a locating nub, a portion of the locating nub being received in a cooperating hole defined by the planar surface, the locating nub having a diameter greater than a shaft of the elongate fastener, and the elongate fastener extending through the locating nub.

9. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 8 , wherein the locating nub is unitary with the display frame.

10. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 1 wherein each frame member defines a recess and the recesses, in combination, capture all four edges of the stack of decorative interchangeable panels.

11. The piece of furniture with a display system of claim 1 wherein the six-sided pocket constrains the stack on six sides whereby the interchangeable decorative panels cannot be removed without first removing the display frame from the planar surface.

12. A piece of furniture with a display system, the piece of furniture comprising a forward facing panel having four peripheral edges defining a rectangular profile and having a planar mounting surface extending between the four peripheral edges, the display system removably mounted to the planar mounting surface with at least one threaded fastener, the display system spaced inwardly on the planar mounting surface from each of the four peripheral edges whereby the planar mounting surface is exposed intermediate each of the four peripheral edges and the display system, the display system comprising a frame defining windows and defining in conjunction with the planar mounting surface a six-sided pocket for receiving decorative panels within the six-sided pocket, wherein the display system projects forwardly from the planar mounting surface of the forward facing panel.

13. A piece of furniture with display system for releasably affixing a stack of interchangeable panels to a vertical mounting surface of a furniture component, comprising:
an overlaying frame mounted to the mounting surface to define a six sided pocket with one side defined by the vertical mounting surface of the furniture component, the mounting surface having a surface area that is larger than a portion covered by the overlaying frame;
an elongated fastener extending from the overlaying frame to the vertical mounting surface to retain the panelar frame to the vertical mounting surface;
a plurality of visually different panels in a stack retained in the six-sided pocket, the stack immovably constrained with respect to the pocket at six sides of the six sided pocket.

14. The display system of claim 13 , wherein a knob is attached to the elongated fastener and the knob is engaged with the overlaying frame compressing the overlaying frame against the vertical mounting surface.

15. The display system of claim 13 , wherein at least 4 interchangeable panels are stacked and sandwiched between the overlaying frame and the mounting surface, and wherein only an outermost interchangeable panel is visible through the primary opening.

16. The display system of claim 13 , wherein the overlaying frame further comprises at least one ornamental frame portion defining a secondary opening, wherein the ornamental frame portion is adapted to engage and retain at least one of a picture and printed image against an inside of the overlaying frame such that a portion of the picture or printed image is visible through the secondary opening.

17. The display system of claim 13 , wherein a knob is attached to the elongated fastener and the fastener is a bolt extending entirely through a panel of which the vertical mounted surface is part.

Assignees

• Ashley Furniture Ind Llc
• Ashley Furniture Ind Inc

Inventors

• Janke Harry

Classifications

• A47B95/04 Primary

  Keyplates; Ornaments or the like (rims specially adapted for table tops A47B13/08; keyplates in general E05B17/14) · CPC title

• A47B88/956

  for enabling adjustment of the front panel · CPC title

• F16B35/06

  Specially-shaped heads (special shape in order to rotate the bolt F16B23/00 {; separate hook adaptors for bolts F16B43/025}) · CPC title

• A47B96/206

  with laminates comprising planar, continuous or separate layers · CPC title

• A47B2088/952

  having two parts and using a screw · CPC title