Attachment Method and Apparatus Using Removable Panels

Abstract

An attachment apparatus may have a fixed engaging surface, and a movable unit that can be attached to any of a series of holes in the fixed engaging surface. The movable unit has a mating surface and a locking mechanism. The user selects a series of holes, inserts a series of properly spaced tabs on the mating surface into the selected holes, rotates and/or translates the movable unit with respect to the fixed engaging surface so that the tabs on the mating surface engage the fixed engaging surface and prevent the movable unit from being pulled away from the fixed engaging surface, and engages a locking mechanism that secures the movable unit in its rotated and/or translated state so that it may not be counter-rotated/translated and detached from the fixed engaging surface. The locking mechanism may be one or more pins that extend through both the mating surface and the fixed engaging surface. The pattern of holes that matches the tabs from the movable unit is repeated on the fixed engaging surface so that the movable unit may be positioned in various locations as desired by the user. In particular, the fixed engaging surface may be disposed on a replaceable panel or insert, which may fit into or onto a frame. In this manner, one frame may accommodate any of a variety of replaceable panels. For instance, the panels may be available in different colors, different printed patterns, different hole patterns, or any suitable variety.

1 . An attachment system, comprising: 
 a frame;    a first panel removably attached to the frame;    a fixed engaging surface disposed on the first panel; and    a movable unit for attaching to the fixed engaging surface;    wherein the fixed engaging surface and the movable unit each contain a plurality of mutually engageable features;    wherein a greater number of the features are distributed across the fixed engaging surface than across the movable unit;    wherein the features distributed across the fixed engaging surface are distributed in a repeating pattern for receiving the movable unit at any one of a plurality of different positions; and    wherein the features are engageable in an action that is generally parallel to the fixed engaging surface for preventing separation of the fixed engaging surface and the movable unit.    
   
   
       2 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the generally parallel action is a translational motion.  
   
   
       3 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the mutually engageable features are slots and tabs.  
   
   
       4 . The attachment system of  claim 3 , wherein the fixed engaging surface contains at least one of the slots, and the movable unit contains at least one of the tabs.  
   
   
       5 . The attachment system of  claim 4 , 
 wherein the slots comprise a plurality of engagement holes and a plurality of locking holes; and    wherein a tab inserted into a locking hole inhibits the generally parallel action.    
   
   
       6 . The attachment system of  claim 5 , wherein the engagement holes are distinct from the locking holes.  
   
   
       7 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the first panel snaps into and out of the frame.  
   
   
       8 . The attachment system of  claim 7 , wherein the first panel snaps into and out of an interior of the frame.  
   
   
       9 . The attachment system of  claim 7 , wherein the first panel includes a plurality of tabs for snapping into and out of the frame.  
   
   
       10 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second panel for removably attaching to the frame.  
   
   
       11 . The attachment system of  claim 10 , wherein the second panel includes a different color from the first panel.  
   
   
       12 . The attachment system of  claim 10 , wherein the second panel includes a different decorative pattern from the first panel.  
   
   
       13 . The attachment system of  claim 10 , wherein the second panel includes a different feature repeating pattern from the first panel.  
   
   
       14 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the frame is metal.  
   
   
       15 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the first panel is plastic.  
   
   
       16 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed engaging surface is substantially vertical.  
   
   
       17 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the frame is disposed on a wall of a cabinet.  
   
   
       18 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the frame is disposed on a door of a cabinet.  
   
   
       19 . A method of attachment, comprising: 
 providing a movable unit having a mating surface with a plurality of tabs;    providing a fixed engaging surface on a removable panel, the fixed engaging surface having a plurality of holes;    selecting a series of holes in the fixed engaging surface;    inserting the tabs on the mating surface into the selected holes;    translating the movable unit with respect to the fixed engaging surface so that the tabs on the mating surface engage the fixed engaging surface and prevent the movable unit from being pulled away from the fixed engaging surface; and    engaging a locking mechanism that secures the movable unit in its translated state so that it may not be counter-translated and detached from the fixed engaging surface.    
   
   
       20 . An attachment system, comprising: 
 a frame;    a panel removably attached to the frame;    a fixed engaging surface disposed on the panel and containing a plurality of slots;    a movable unit containing a plurality of tabs for attaching to the fixed engaging surface, the tabs being engageable with the slots in a translational action that is generally parallel to the fixed engaging surface for preventing separation of the fixed engaging surface and the movable unit; and    a locking mechanism for inhibiting the translational action;    wherein there are more slots than tabs; and    wherein the slots are distributed in a repeating pattern for receiving the movable unit at any one of a plurality of different positions.