GB2278139A - Door with decorative panel - Google Patents

Abstract

A door for a cupboard or room, has a frame 1 having at least one opening, a backing element 4 adapted to be releasably secured to said frame 1 to close the opening, and means to position a decorative element 3 on or against the backing element 4 to locate the decorative element so that decoration on the decorative element 3 is visible from the front of the door through the opening. A transparent panel 2 may also be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

A DOOR This invention relates to a door, particularly but not exclusively, a door for domestic fittings such as wardrobes and kitchen units.

In the decoration of rooms in modern offices or domestic premises, it is frequently desired to have a "coordinated look" for the colour scheme or patterns used throughout the room. For example, the curtains used in the room may match the wallpaper or may use a colour or motif picked out of the wallpaper or vice versa. It is also a custom for the woodwork in the room such as the window frame, skirting boards etc. to be painted in a coordinating colour. This coordinated look is often marred or broken up where the room includes a number of doors such as would typically occur in a bedroom with fitted wardrobes or a kitchen with fitted units. The normal room doors also have an adverse effect on the overall scheme of the room unless they are painted to match.

It has been known to overcome this problem by pasting the roomwallpaper over the room door and/or over the doors of wardrobes and/or kitchen units but this is not always satisfactory, particularly when it comes to redecoration where it is often difficult to remove the wallpaper. A further difficulty arises if the doors carry any decorative features themselves, such as shaped panels.

The present invention seeks to provide a construction of door which overcomes this problem and enables the appearance of doors, or parts of doors to readily incorporate a new decorative element to assist in achieving a coordinated look.

According to the present invention there is provided a door for a cupboard or the like including a frame having at least one opening, a backing element adapted to be releasably secured to said frame, and means to position a decorative element on or against the backing element to locate the decorative element between the frame and the backing element so that decoration on the decorative element is visible through the opening.

Preferably a transparent sheet of glass or synthetic plastics material is located between the decorative element and the frame, to assist in keeping the decorative element clean. This construction is particularly advantageous for use in kitchens where spillages etc. are likely to occur.

The decorative element, the transparent sheet when provided, and also preferably the backing sheet, may be located in a rebate in the frame so that the side of the door remote from the opening has a substantially flush surface.

In another form of the invention, a plurality of said openings may be provided and these openings may be the panels in a traditional six- or four-panelled door. In such a construction, each opening or panel may have its own backing element.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention incorporating two panels, Figure 3 shows a further embodiment having two panels but only one of the panels incorporating the present invention, Figure 4 shows the front view of the three doors shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, Figure 5 shows a rear view of the doors shown in Figure 4, Figure 6 shows a sectional side view through the door of Figure 1, and, Figure 7 shows a perspective scrap view showing a rebate in the rear face of the door.

Referring now to Figure 1 there is shown a door intended for use on a wardrobe or kitchen unit. Typically, the door will incorporate a handle and hinges or rails, when the door is a sliding door, although these are not shown.

The door includes a main frame 1 having a large opening. As can be seen from Figures 6 and 7, the frame has, on its rear face a rebate 6 around the periphery of the opening. The rebate is designed to accommodate a transparent sheet 2 of glass or clear plastics material, a decorative element 3 which may be a wallpaper fabric or any other substantially lamina decorative element, and a backing panel 4. The thicknesses of the various components with respect to the rebate are such that the rear face 7 of the backing panel 4 lies substantially flush with the rear face 8 of the frame when the backing panel is fully inserted in the rebate.

As shown, the transparent 2, decorative element 3 and backing panel 4 are secured in the rebate by means of turn clips 9 which consist of a plastic element pivotally mounted on the frame 1 so as to be pivotable round over the edge of the backing panel 4. The screw 10 by which the clips are pivotally mounted can then be fastened to secure the clips 9 in position and to clamp the elements together in the frame to provide a firm rattle-free mounting. In one embodiment, the clips 9 incorporate a guide line designed to be aligned with the interface between the side of the backing panel 4 and the edge of the rebate 6.

It will be appreciated that other forms of securing the backing element to the frame may be used, for example pins or beading. Alternatively, the rebate may include grooves in which the various elements are located.

Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment in which the frame 1 has two openings to provide a two panel door. In this embodiment there are therefore two transparent elements, two decorative elements which may carry the same decoration or may differ, and two backing panels.

Figure 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a door having two openings or panels in which the lower panel is solid and does not incorporate the elements in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a front view of the doors of Figures 1 and 2 and 3 whilst Figure 5 shows a rear view of the three doors showing the mounting clips 9 distributed about the periphery of the backing panel 4.

The shape of the openings in each of the panels may vary according to customer choice. The examples illustrated show relatively simple shapes for the elements of the frame but it will be understood that the openings may be of any shape desired.

It can thus be seen that doors constructed in accordance with the present invention may readily be adapted to a new room decor by simply turning the clips, removing the backing panel 4 and the decorative element 3. A new decorative element, which may be of any appearance and may even be a simple painted panel, may then be replaced and the door re-assembled.

Although the preferred embodiments illustrate doors for use in furniture such as fitted wardrobes and kitchen units, it is quite possible for the doors to be used as room doors.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, it is envisaged that the rebate is in the front face of the frame so that the backing panel is inserted first, then the decorative element and the translucent sheet, the translucent sheet being held in the frame by, for example, decorative beading or a subframe. The decorative beading or subframe would be secured in such a manner that it is easily removable to enable the decorate element to be changed.

In a further embodiment, the rear of the door has a further frame member containing at least one opening, a further decorative element being carried by the rear face of the backing element. In this way, the other face of a door may be given a decorative appearance, to match, for example, the room decor. Such a door may be suitable for use between two adjoining rooms, which both require a coordinated look.

Claims (12)

1. A door for a cupboard or room, including a frame having at least one opening, a backing element adapted to be releasably secured to said frame, and means to position a decorative element on or against the backing element to locate the decorative element between the frame and the backing element so that decoration on the decorative element is visible through the opening.

2. A door according to claim 1, wherein a transparent sheet of glass or synthetic plastics material is interposed between the front of the decorative element and the frame to assist in keeping the decorative element clean.

3. A door according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the decorative element and the transparent sheet are located in a rebate in the frame so that the rear face of the door remote from the opening has a substantially flush surface.

4. A door according to claim 3, wherein the rebate in the frame is such as to locate also the backing sheet in such a way that the rear face of the door remote from the opening has a substantially flush surface.

5. A door according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of openings are provided in the door.

6. A door according to claim 5, wherein four or six openings are provided to form a four or six panel door respectively.

7. A door according to claim 5 or 6, wherein each opening has its own backing element.

8. A door according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a rebate is formed in the front face of the door so that the backing element, decorative element and/or the translucent sheet, are fitted sequentially from the front of the door.

9. A door according to claim 8, wherein a rebate is provided in each face of the door so that decorative elements can be fitted on both faces of the door.

10. A door according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the backing element(s) are releasably secured to the frame.

11. A door according to claim 10, wherein the backing element(s) are secured by means of clips, or recesses in opposed side edges of the element.

12. A door for a cupboard or room, substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.