US20030005656A1

US20030005656A1 - Decorative door cover assembly

Info

Publication number: US20030005656A1
Application number: US09/901,559
Authority: US
Inventors: Tom Kim; Larry Craycraft
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-07-09
Filing date: 2001-07-09
Publication date: 2003-01-09

Abstract

A decorative cover assembly for a substantially vertical surface is disclosed. The vertical surface is in the form of at least one panel having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge and a pair of side edges. The cover assembly includes a mounting bracket removably attachable to the panel top edge with attachment elements being disposed on the bracket. A plurality of first connecting members are positioned along the panel front surface at spaced intervals proximate the panel side edges. A plurality of decorative sheets are then provided and adapted to align with each other to form a coherent piece of art. The sheets are sized for placement adjacent each other and include second connecting members releasably attachable to the first connecting members to position the sheets over the outer surface of the panel to display the coherent piece of art. Finally, the plurality of sheets include an uppermost sheet which is releasably attachable to the mounting bracket, the sheets forming a gap therebetween.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to decorative cover assemblies for doors, walls and the like and, more particularly, to decorative cover assemblies for garage doors. Specifically, the present invention relates to removable decorative panels having seasonal, holiday, festive or celebratory indicia and themes and which are removably secured as an assembly to a movable multi-panel garage door to provide exterior decoration thereon.

2. Description of the Prior Art

During certain times of the year, holiday, seasonal and festive decorative objects are very popular. In the fall, around the time of the Halloween celebration, it is common to decorate homes with objects having an appropriate scene, such as ghosts, witches and the like. Following the Halloween celebration, and in the winter months, the image of Santa Claus and other Christmas themes are ever present in holiday displays. During the spring, with the approach of the Easter holiday, religious and secular images are often included in decorative displays. An addition, when celebrating a birthday, an anniversary or a graduation with a home based party, it is common to decorate portions of the home with a celebratory display.

In homes having a garage, one of the largest flat surfaces on the front of the home is the garage door surface. Therefore, the garage door surface is apparently well suited for holding a large decorative display such as a large decorated flexible panel, that is unless the display hinders the operation and use of the garage door. Operation of the garage door is important because seasonal and holiday decorations may be displayed for a relatively long period of time such as a month. Additionally, such decorations are also frequently placed on the outer surface of a home's front door. Finally, entire wall surfaces of an interior room may also be used to periodically display decorative themes.

Permitting a garage door to be opened and closed while covered with a decorative panel is not an easy task. It will be appreciated that a majority of garage doors are made of hinged door panels having lateral wheels which ride in a roller track assembly. Due to rotation of the door panels at the hinges, when a garage door is in an open or partially open position, gaps are created between the panels at the hinges, and the vertical length across the exterior of the panels of the garage door, that is from the uppermost door panel to the lowermost door panel, is relatively longer than when the door is in a closed position and the gaps substantially eliminated. Therefore, any decorative panel for a garage door must be able to remain on the exterior surface of the garage door which, in effect, changes in length as it is opened and closed.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,237 discloses a garage door decorative cover that is designed to provide festive ornamentation while maintaining full use of the garage door. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,869 and No. 6,059,055 also disclose a garage door decorative cover assembly which permits use of the garage door while decorating the exterior surface of the same. In each of these instances, however, one or more elongated sheets are stretched across the entire length of the garage door covering all the panels thereof including the gaps therebetween. Resilient members are used to permit the elongated sheets to adjust in length as the garage door is open or closed, thereby taking up slack in the sheets created by the change in length of the garage door as it is opened and closed. Unfortunately, these resilient members can lose their resiliency over time, thereby preventing them from keeping the elongated sheets taut as the garage door opens and closes. Moreover, extremely cold weather can cause such resilient members to easily break. Finally, the attachment arrangement with resilient control members is complicated to install, thereby making quick and easy changing of decorative themes difficult. Consequently, there remains a need for a decorative cover assembly which is easy to attach and remove, does not require length adjustment to accommodate the operational movement of a garage door, is substantially fireproof and is adaptable to a variety of doors and surfaces including garage doors, front doors and even interior walls. The present invention satisfies these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a substantially fireproof decorative cover assembly for doors, walls and the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a removable decorative cover assembly having seasonal, holiday, festive or celebratory indicia and themes for garage doors.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a removable decorative cover assembly for garage doors which is designed to prevent water retention as well as be resistant to freezing, wind action and fire.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a combination garage door and door cover assembly which permits selective decoration of the garage door with a plurality of different panels to provide a plurality of different themes.

To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a decorative cover assembly for a substantially vertical surface is disclosed. The vertical surface is in the form of at least one panel having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge and a pair of side edges. The cover assembly includes a mounting bracket removably attachable to the panel top edge with attachment elements being disposed on the bracket. A plurality of first connecting members are positioned along the panel front surface at spaced intervals proximate the panel side edges. A plurality of decorative sheets are then provided and adapted to align with each other to form a coherent piece of art. The sheets are sized for placement adjacent each other and include second connecting members releasably attachable to the first connecting members to position the sheets over the outer surface of the panel to display the coherent piece of art. Finally, the plurality of sheets include an uppermost sheet which is releasably attachable to the mounting bracket, the sheets forming a gap therebetween.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, a decorative cover assembly is provided for a garage door. The garage door has a plurality of elongated door panels mounted adjacent each other for movement along a roller track assembly. The cover assembly includes a plurality of mounting brackets removably attachable to the top edge of the uppermost garage door panel, and each bracket includes attachment elements disposed thereon. A plurality of first connecting members are positioned along the front surface of each door panel at spaced intervals proximate the panel side edges, the junction between the panels, and along the width of the elongated door panels. A plurality of decorative sheets are provided and adapted to align with each other to form a coherent piece of art. The sheets are sized for placement adjacent each other along the width of the elongated garage door panels, and each sheet includes second connecting members which are releasably attachable to the first connecting members to position the sheets over the outer surface of the garage door panels to display the coherent piece of art. Finally, the plurality of sheets disposed along the uppermost panel are releasably attachable to the plurality of mounting brackets, the sheets forming spaced gaps therebetween to obviate stress on the sheets when the garage door is moved along the roller track assembly.

In one form of this embodiment, the cover assembly includes a decorative strip disposed in each of the gaps between the decorative sheets for coordinating with the coherent piece of art. The decorative strip may be in the from of a string of illuminated elements including lights or reflective tape. Moreover, the first connecting members may be selectively detachable to the garage door panels.

Still a further embodiment of the invention is in the form of a combination garage door and decorative cover assembly. The combination assembly includes a plurality of elongated door panels hingedly mounted adjacent each other and adapted to rotate relative to each other when moved from a closed position to an open position along a roller track assembly. Each panel has an outer surface, an inner surface, a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion and opposite side portions. A plurality of mounting brackets are removably attachable to the top edge portion of the uppermost garage door panel, each bracket including attachment elements disposed thereon. A plurality of selectively removable first connecting members are positioned along the outer surface of each door panel at spaced intervals proximate the panel side edges and substantially equidistantly along the junction between the elongated door panels. A plurality of decorative sheets of substantially the same size are provided and adapted to align with each other to form a coherent piece of art. The sheets are sized for placement adjacent each other along the width of each elongated garage door panel and are aligned from the uppermost panel to the lowermost panel. Second connecting members are disposed on the back surface of the sheets and are releasably attachable to the first connecting members to position the sheets over the outer surface of the garage door panels to display the coherent piece of art. The plurality of sheets disposed along the uppermost panel are releasably attachable to the plurality of mounting brackets, and the sheets form spaced gaps therebetween to eliminate stress on the sheets when the panels are rotated relative to each other as the garage door is moved along the roller track assembly between its open and closed positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with a description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: [0016]
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a garage door having the decorative cover assembly of the present invention mounted thereon; [0017]
FIG. 2 is a front plan view of house front door adapted for receiving the illustrated decorative sheets of the present invention thereon; [0018]
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the upper portion of the door of FIG. 2 illustrating the mounting bracket in position thereon; [0019]
FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a mounting bracket embodiment used with the cover assembly of the present invention; [0020]
FIG. 5 is a front plan view of a garage door adapted for receiving the illustrated decorative sheets of the present invention thereon; [0021]
FIG. 6 is a partial side sectional view of a pair of door panels in position for attachment to the garage door of FIG. 5 illustrating the mounting arrangement thereof; [0022]
FIG. 7 is a side schematic of a garage door having the decorative cover assembly of the present invention mounted thereon, the garage door being in a closed position; and [0023]
FIG. 8 is a side schematic of the garage door of FIG. 7 with the garage door being in a closed position.[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. [0025] 1-4, a garage 10 includes a garage door 12 having a decorative piece of art 14, such as the illustrated Holloween mural, disposed on the outer surface thereof. The mural 14 is made up of a plurality of individual panels 16 mounted onto the garage door surface in accordance with the present invention and as described in greater detail below. It should be understood, however, that the present invention may be utilized with any type of enlarged flat surface such as the front door of a house, the interior wall of a home, and the like.
One surface with which the present invention may preferably be utilized is the [0026] outer surface 18 of a door 20. In this particular illustration, a decorative cover assembly 22 is positioned for mounting onto the outer surface 18 of the door 20. To mount the assembly 22 to the door 20, a mounting bracket 24 is utilized. In preferred form, the mounting bracket 24 includes a pair of “L”-shaped bracket members 25 each having an upper arm 26, a relatively short rear arm 28 and a front arm 30. The front arm 30 has a pair of apertures 32,34 disposed toward the distal end thereof. A spacer bar 36 interconnects the pair of brackets 25 by attachment at the apertures 34 thereof. A butterfly bolt 38 projects outwardly from the distal end of the arm 30 at each aperture 32. In this manner, the mounting brackets 24 may be hung across the top edge 40 of the door 20 with the bolts 38 projecting outwardly from the outer surface 18 of the door 20.
The cover assembly [0027] 22 preferably includes two panel sheet members 42,44. The upper sheet member 42 includes a pair of apertures 45 which are sized and positioned for attachment to the bolts 38 projecting from the spacer bar 36. Each of the sheet members 42,44 has a decorative piece of art on the outer surface 46,48 thereof, respectively, to form a holiday or celebratory mural or other type of desired design. The sheets 42, 44 may be made of any desired type of material capable of carrying a mural or other type of piece of art including paper, cardboard, poster board and the like. However, regardless of the material selected, each sheet 42, 44 is preferably laminated to increase fire resistance and make the material substantially fireproof. This is an important feature of the invention since many doors 20 or other surfaces on which the sheets 42, 44 are placed are made up of wood or other combustible material.
A plurality of first connecting [0028] members 50 are attached at appropriate locations on the outer surface 18 of the door 20. In preferred form, the first connecting members 50 comprise one portion of a hook and loop, preferably Velcro, connecting set and are removably secured to the surface 18. The location of the first connecting members 50 is dependent on the size and shape of the sheets 42,44. In the illustrated embodiment, the sheets 42,44 are rectangular in shape. Therefore, the positioning of the first connecting members 50 on the surface 18 corresponds substantially to the side edges of the sheets 42,44 so that they will substantially coincide to the four corners of each of the panels 42,44 as well as midway along the side edges thereof.
A set of second connecting [0029] members 51 are secured to the rear surfaces 47,49 of the sheets 42,44. The second connecting members 51 are preferably the second half of the hook and loop connecting pairs so as to attach securely and releasably to the first connecting members 50 upon engagement therebetween. In preferred form, the second connecting members 51 are attached proximate to the four corners of each sheet 42,44 as well as midway along the side edges thereof. In one form of the invention, the sheets 42,44 may abut each other or they may form a gap 52 therebetween. In the instance where the gap 52 is created, a tape hinge 54 may be extended between the sheets 42,44 so as to connect them at as one single mountable entity. The tape hinge 54 may be a reflecting tape or of a color to coordinate with the design on the surfaces 46,48. Alternatively, the tape 54 may carry illuminated members such as lights and the like. In yet another form of the invention, a reflective or colored tape 56 may be attached to the surface 18 of the door 20 so as to appear through the gap 52 between the sheet panels 42,44.
As can be seen, the [0030] sheets 42,44 are carried by the mounting bracket 24 as well as releasably secured to the surface 18 of the door 20. In this manner, the sheets 42,44 will not be displaced as a result of high winds or other adverse weather conditions. Moreover, the arrangement of the sheet panels 42,44 on the surface 18 provides for a space between the sheet panels 42,44 and the surface 18. This spaced relationship is important in that it allows any moisture such as rain or melted snow to drip down behind the sheets 42,44 rather than be captured. This becomes very important during the colder months since melted snow, if captured, will freeze and tend to expand can break or rip the sheets 42,44.
Referring now to FIGS. [0031] 5-8, the present invention is adaptable for use with a garage door as previously explained. In this embodiment, the garage door 12 is constructed from three elongated panels 62, 64 and 66, the panel 66 being the uppermost thereof. A plurality of mounting brackets 24 are preferably hung from the top edge portion 68 of the uppermost panel 66. The door panels 62, 64 and 66 are secured to each other along their back sides by hinge members 70 and include rollers 72 sized and positioned for engagement within a track 74 (FIGS. 7-8), all of which is known standard garage door design.
The front surfaces [0032] 76 of the door panels 62, 64 and 66 include a plurality of first connecting members 78 of a design similar to that of the prior embodiment. The first connecting members 78 are firmly yet releasably attached to the surfaces 76 at appropriate locations depending on the size and shape of the decorative sheets 80, 82 and 84 which are to be placed thereon. Like the sheets 42, 44 of the prior embodiment, sheets 80, 82 and 84 are also laminated to substantially increase fire resistance. In preferred form, the first connecting members 78 are positioned to overlap adjacent sheets 80 on the door panel 62, adjacent sheets 82 on the panel 64, and adjacent sheets 84 on the panel 66. The first connecting members 78 are preferably positioned so as to coincide with the corners of the various sheets 80, 82 and 84 as well as midway along their side edges similar to the prior embodiment.
A pair of second connecting [0033] members 86 are positioned on the back surfaces 81, 83 and 85 of the sheets 80, 82 and 84, respectively. Likewise, the second connecting members 86 are positioned proximate the corners thereof as well as midway along their respective side edges. The second connecting members are also preferably the second half of a hook and loop connecting system such as Velcro. As in the prior embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the sheets 84 which are designed for attachment to the uppermost panel 66 include a pair of apertures 88 which are designed for attachment to the bolts 38 of the hanging brackets 24.
The joints or junctions between the [0034] panels 62, 64 and 66 may be covered by a tape 90 which, in one preferred embodiment, is illuminated in the form of a reflective tape. Alternatively, the tape 90 may be colored to correspond with the piece of art appearing on the outer surfaces of the sheets 80, 82 and 84. These junctions or joints correspond to the horizontal gaps 93 that appear between the sheets 80, 82 and 84. These gaps are approximately ¼″ wide and prevent the sheets 80, 82 and 84 from being dislodged or stretched when the garage door 12 is operated as discussed below. The vertical gaps between the sheets 80 on the panel 62, between the sheets 82 on the panel 64 and between the sheets 84 on the panel 66 are treated in the same manner as the gaps by the junctions between the panels 62, 64 and 66 so as to provide a similar outer appearance in the piece of art on the door 12. In another form of the invention, the joint or junction between the panels 62, 64 and 66 as well as between the sheets thereon may include illuminated members in the form of strings of lights 92.
Referring particularly to FIGS. 7 and 8, the [0035] garage door 12 is operationally moved between a closed position and an open position. As can be seen from the FIGS. 7-8, the length of the interconnected panels 62, 64, 66, at least at the outer surfaces thereof, varies as the door 12 moves along the roller track 74. Since the sheets 80, 82, 84 do not overlap adjacent panels 62, 64, 66 as in prior art designs, there is no stress imposed on the sheets 80-86 as the garage door 12 moves operationally. The tape 90, while overlapping the panels 62-66, preferably contains sufficient slack so as to accommodate the size changes in the gaps between the panels 62-66 as the door 12 moves. The brackets 24 provide stability to the entire structure represented by the sheets 80-84 as the door 12 moves operationally between its open and closed positions.
As can be seen from the above, the present invention provides a cover assembly which is adapted for easy attachment to a garage door, front door or the like for presenting holiday or other festive murals. The attachment system of the present invention may remain on the doors so that different murals may alternatively be placed thereon depending upon the season or the festive occasion to be celebrated. On the other hand, the entire attachment system may be readily removed from the doors without damaged thereto since the first and second connecting members of the invention are preferably removably attached to the appropriate door or wall surface The structure of the present invention is designed to eliminate stress during movement of garage doors and is particularly resistant to weather related factors such as wind, rain, freezing water, snow and the like. This is due to its design for secure yet releasable attachment to the appropriate door or wall surface, such as a garage door. The present invention can be adapted for attachment to an interior wall in a manner that would allow individuals to change the decor of that wall by changing the piece of art represented by the panel sheets placed on the wall similar to changing of the murals on the garage or front doors of a house as illustrated herein. Finally, the present invention is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, convenient to store when not in use, and adaptable to many different mural or piece of art designs depending on the holiday, season or event to be celebrated. [0036]
The foregoing description and the illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail in varying modifications and alternate embodiments. It should be understood, however, that the foregoing description of the present invention is exemplary only, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited to the claims as interpreted in view of the prior art. Moreover, the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. [0037]

Claims

I claim:

1. A decorative cover assembly for a substantially vertical surface, said vertical surface including at least one door panel having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge and a pair of side edges, said cover assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket removably attachable to said panel top edge;

attachment elements disposed on said bracket;

a plurality of first connecting members positioned along said panel front surface at spaced intervals proximate said panel side edges;

a plurality of decorative sheets adapted to align with each other to form a coherent piece of art, said sheets being sized for placement adjacent each other and including second connecting members releasably attachable to said first connecting members to position said sheets over the outer surface of said panel to display said coherent piece of art; and

said plurality of sheets including an uppermost sheet being releasably attachable to said mounting bracket, said sheets forming a gap therebetween.

2. The decorative cover assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vertical surface comprises a door, and said cover assembly further comprises a decorative strip disposed in each said gap between said sheets for coordinating with said coherent piece of art.

3. The decorative cover assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said decorative strip comprises a string of illuminated elements.

4. The decorative cover assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said attachment elements are disposed on said bracket along said door panel front surface and proximate said top edge.

5. The decorative cover assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first connecting members are selectively detachable.

6. The decorative cover assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vertical surface comprises a door having a plurality of door panels, and wherein each said sheet is sized to span the height of one said panel, the gaps between said sheets aligning with the junctions between said door panels.

7. The decorative cover assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said door panels are elongated and mounted on a roller assembly to form a garage door.

8. The decorative cover assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein each said elongated door panel is covered by a plurality of adjacently disposed sheets spaced by a gap, said first connecting members being positioned along each said panel front surface at spaced intervals proximate the gap between said adjacently aligned sheets.

9. The decorative cover assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said cover assembly further comprises a decorative strip for coordinating with said coherent piece of art disposed in each said gap between said adjacent sheets disposed along one said panel, and between each said sheet disposed on adjacent panels.

10. The decorative cover assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second connecting members space said sheets outwardly from said panel outer surface to enable moisture to pass therebetween.

11. A decorative cover assembly for a garage door having a plurality of elongated door panels mounted adjacent each other for movement along a roller track assembly, said cover assembly comprising:

a plurality of mounting brackets removably attachable to the top edge of the uppermost garage door panel, each said bracket including attachment elements disposed thereon;

a plurality of first connecting members positioned along the front surface of each said door panel at spaced intervals proximate the panel side edges, the junction between said panels, and along the height of said elongated door panels;

a plurality of decorative sheets adapted to align with each other to form a coherent piece of art, said sheets being sized for placement adjacent each other along the width of each said elongated garage door panel and including second connecting members releasably attachable to said first connecting members to position said sheets over the outer surface of said garage door panels to display said coherent piece of art; and

the plurality of sheets disposed along said uppermost panel being releasably attachable to said plurality of mounting brackets, said sheets forming spaced gaps therebetween to obviate stress on said sheets when said garage door is moved along said roller assembly.

12. The garage door decorative assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first and second connecting members comprise hook and loop fasteners.

13. The garage door decorative assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said assembly further comprises decorative strips disposed along the gaps formed between the sheets of one said door panel and between the sheets of adjacent door panels for coordinating with said coherent piece of art.

14. The garage door decorative assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein said decorative strips comprise strings of illuminated elements.

15. The garage door decorative assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein said illuminated elements comprise reflective strips.

16. The garage door decorative assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein said illuminated elements comprise lights.

17. The garage door decorative assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said sheets are laminated to increase fire resistance, and wherein said first and second connecting members space said sheets outwardly from the outer surfaces of said door panels to prevent the accumulation of moisture therebetween.

18. The garage door decorative assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first and second connecting members are positioned to prevent dislodging of said sheets from said door panels by wind action.

19. A combination garage door and decorative cover assembly comprising:

a plurality of elongated door panels pivotally mounted adjacent each other and adapted to rotate relative to each other when moved from a closed position to an open position along a roller track assembly, said panels having an outer surface, an inner surface, a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion and opposite side portions;

a plurality of mounting brackets removably attachable to the top edge portion of the uppermost garage door panel, each said bracket including attachment elements disposed thereon;

a plurality of selectively removable first connecting members positioned along the outer surface of each said door panel at spaced intervals proximate the panel side edges and substantially equidistantly along the junction between said elongated door panels;

a plurality of decorative sheets of substantially the same size adapted to align with each other to form a coherent piece of art, said sheets being sized for placement adjacent each other along the width of said elongated garage door panels and aligned from the uppermost panel to the lowermost panel, and including second connecting members releasably attachable to said first connecting members to position said sheets over the outer surface of said garage door panels to display said coherent piece of art; and

the plurality of sheets disposed along said uppermost panel being releasably attachable to said plurality of mounting brackets, said sheets forming spaced gaps therebetween to eliminate stress on said sheets when said panels are rotated relative to each other as said garage door is moved along said roller track assembly between its open and closed positions.

20. The combination as claimed in claim 19, wherein said sheets are laminated to increase fire resistance thereof, and wherein said second connecting members are disposed at the corner portions thereof for releasable attachment to said first connecting members.

21. The combination as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first and second connecting members comprise hook and loop fasteners.

22. The combination as claimed in claim 20, wherein said combination further comprises decorative strips disposed along the gaps formed between the sheets disposed along one said door panel and between the sheets of adjacent door panels for coordinating with said coherent piece of art.

23. The combination as claimed in claim 20, wherein said decorative strips comprise strings of illuminated elements.

24. The combination as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first and second connecting members space said sheets outwardly from the outer surfaces of said door panels to prevent the accumulation of moisture therebetween, and wherein said first and second connecting members are further positioned to prevent dislodging of said sheets from said door panels by wind action.