Furniture article with interchangeable panel set

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 overlaying panelar frame defines at least one opening or widow through which the outermost interchangeable panel is visible. The stack of interchangeable panels can then 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. The fastener may extend through each of the decorative panels to further secure them in place.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A piece of furniture with a display system securing a stack of interchangeable decorative panels on a planar mounting surface of the piece of furniture, each of the decorative panels having two sides surfaces and four side edges, the display system comprising:
 an overlaying panelar frame having a plurality of viewing windows, the overlaying panelar frame positioned over the stack of interchangeable decorative panels such that the overlying panelar frame surrounds and constrains one side surface, four side edges, and holds the interchangeable decorative panels against the planar mounting surface, the stack having an outermost decorative panel visible through the plurality of windows, the overlaying panelar frame secured to the piece of furniture at the mounting surface by an elongate fastener.   
     
     
         2 . The piece of furniture with the display system of  claim 1 , wherein the stack of decorative panels are each of a different visual appearance. 
     
     
         3 . The piece of furniture with a display system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the decorative panels has an aperture therein, the apertures in alignment when the 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 4 , wherein each of the interchangeable decorative panels further comprises a plurality of flexible fingers surrounding the apertures, whereby the plurality of flexible fingers flex individually. 
     
     
         5 . The piece of furniture with a display system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the decorative panels are engaged at their apertures with a spacer that has a diameter greater than a shaft of the fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The piece of furniture with a display system of  claim 5 , wherein the spacer is unitary with the overlaying panelar framework. 
     
     
         7 . The piece of furniture with a display system of  claim 3  wherein a second elongate fastener secures the overlaying panelar frame to the mounting surface and the piece of furniture with the display system further comprises 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 3  wherein the piece of furniture is one of: a bed, a dresser, a drawered furniture item, and a cabinet. 
     
     
         9 . A piece of furniture with display system for releasably affixing at least one interchangeable panel to a vertical mounting surface of a furniture component, comprising:
 a overlaying panelar frame mounted to the mounting surface to define a six sided pocket with one side defined by a lattice work of the slot for receiving the at least one interchangeable panel;   an elongated fastener extending from the panelar frame to the mounting surface to retain the panelar frame to the 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.   
     
     
         10 . The display system of  claim 9  wherein a knob is attached to the elongated fastener and the knob is engaged with the overlaying panelar frame compressing the panelar frame against the mounting surface. 
     
     
         11 . The display system of  claim 9 , wherein at least 4 interchangeable panels are stacked and sandwiched between the overlaying panelar frame and the mounting surface, and wherein only an outermost interchangeable panel is visible through the primary opening. 
     
     
         12 . The display system of  claim 9 , wherein the decorative panels are each of a different visual appearance. 
     
     
         13 . The display system of  claim 9 , wherein the overlaying panelar 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 panelar frame such that a portion of the picture or printed image is visible through the secondary opening. 
     
     
         14 . Wherein a knob is attached to the elongated fastener and the fastener is a bolt extending entirely through a panel of which the mounted surface is part. 
     
     
         15 . A method of releasably affixing at least one interchangeable decorative panel to a mounting surface of a furniture item, the furniture item having a primary decorative finish, the at least one decorative panel having two side display surfaces and at least one decorative side of each decorative panel having an appearance differing from that of the primary finish, the method comprising:
 providing an overlaying panelar frame having a plurality of viewing windows;   placing the at least one interchangeable decorative panel between the overlaying panelar frame and the mounting surface;   positioning the interchangeable panel against the mounting surface with the at least one decorative panel therebetween thereby forming a pocket with a rectilinear prism shape positioned between the mounting surface and the overlaying panelar frame and the at least one decorative panel captured therein;   securing the overlaying panelar frame to the mounting surface whereby the at least one interchangeable decorative panel is immovably constrained therein with respect to the mounting surface.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising using a threaded fastener to secure the overlaying panelar frame to the mounting surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the mounting surface comprises a planar surface of a furniture component and the overlaying panelar frame has a rectangular shaped periphery and the method comprises constraining the at least one interchangeable decorative panel by the periphery extending entirely around the at least one interchangeable decorative panel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 stacking at least two interchangeable panels and securing them in the pocket, wherein only the outermost interchangeable panel is visible through the viewing windows.   
     
     
         19 . A furniture item having a set of interchangeable decorative panel in a stack stored there in, the item comprising:
 A panel having an exteriorly exposed vertical mounting surface;   An overlaying panelar frame having a lattice work defining a plurality of windows, the overlaying panelar frame attached to the mounting surface and defining a pocket therein wherein the set of interchangeable decorative panels are retained, the pocket constraining the set on six sides whereby the interchangeable decorative panels cannot be removed without removing the overlaying panelar frame from the mounting surface.   
     
     
         20 . The furniture item of  claim 19  further comprising a knob attached to an elongate fastener extending through the panel and overlaying panelar frame, the knob and elongate fastener securing the overlaying panelar frame to the mounting surface.