Tie Bar System with Interchangeable Covers

Abstract

A modular and customizable tie bar system comprises a tie bar base, one or more tie bar covers, and a fastener. The tie bar base cooperates with a user's tie and comprises at least a mounting surface. Each tie bar cover comprises a cover plate and optional side walls. Each tie bar cover is preferably sized to cover and cooperate with the mounting surface of the tie bar base, has a decorative outer surface, and has an inner surface for facilitating attachment to the base. To facilitate removable attachment of the covers to the base, one or more fasteners such as magnets attach to the inner surface of the cover or to mounting surface of the base or to both. Preferably, several covers with differing decorative outer surfaces cooperate with a single base to allow for interchangeability and customization depending on the user's aesthetic preferences.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A tie bar system comprising:
 a. a tie bar base comprising a first bar attached to a gripping unit wherein the first bar comprises a mounting surface;   b. a first cover comprising an outer surface and an inner surface wherein the inner surface is configured to cooperate with the mounting surface of the tie bar base; and   c. one or more fasteners attached to the inner surface of the cover and positioned to facilitate removably attaching the cover to the tie bar base.   
     
     
         2 . The tie bar system of  claim 1  wherein the tie bar base comprises a magnetic material and wherein the fasteners comprise one or more magnets substantially permanently attached to the inner surface of the first cover. 
     
     
         3 . The tie bar system of  claim 1  wherein the first cover comprises a magnetic material and wherein the fasteners comprise one or more magnets substantially permanently attached to the mounting surface of the first bar. 
     
     
         4 . The tie bar system of  claim 1  wherein the fasteners comprise a first magnet and a second magnet, wherein the first magnet is substantially permanently attached to the inner surface of the first cover, and wherein the second magnet is substantially permanently attached to the mounting surface of the first bar. 
     
     
         5 . The tie bar system of  claim 1  wherein the fasteners comprise a plurality of first magnets and a plurality of second magnets, wherein the first magnets are substantially permanently attached to the inner surface of the first cover, and wherein the second magnets are substantially permanently attached to the mounting surface of the first bar. 
     
     
         6 . The tie bar system of  claim 1  wherein the first bar is pivotally attached to the gripping unit. 
     
     
         7 . The tie bar system of  claim 1  wherein the first bar is integral with the gripping unit. 
     
     
         8 . The tie bar system of  claim 1  further comprising a second cover comprising an outer surface and an inner surface wherein the inner surface is configured to cooperate with the mounting surface of the tie bar base and wherein the first cover and the second cover have different outer surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The tie bar system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a. a second cover comprising an outer surface and an inner surface wherein the inner surface is configured to cooperate with the mounting surface of the tie bar base; 
 b. wherein the first cover comprises a first material; 
 c. wherein the second cover comprises a second material; and 
 d. wherein the first material is different than the second material. 
 
     
     
         10 . A tie bar system comprising:
 a. a tie bar base comprising a first bar attached to a gripping unit wherein the first bar comprises a mounting surface;   b. at least two covers wherein each cover comprises an outer surface and an inner surface and wherein the inner surface of each cover is configured to independently cooperate with the mounting surface of the tie bar base; and   c. one or more fasteners attached to the inner surfaces of each of the covers and positioned to facilitate removably attaching each of the covers to the tie bar base.   
     
     
         11 . The tie bar system of  claim 10  wherein the tie bar base comprises a magnetic material and wherein the fasteners comprise one or more magnets substantially permanently attached to the inner surfaces of each of the covers. 
     
     
         12 . The tie bar system of  claim 10  wherein each of the covers comprises a magnetic material and wherein the fasteners comprise one or more magnets substantially permanently attached to the mounting surface of the first bar. 
     
     
         13 . The tie bar system of  claim 10  wherein the fasteners comprise a two or more first magnets and a second magnet, wherein one of the first magnets is substantially permanently attached to the inner surface of each of the covers, and wherein the second magnet is substantially permanently attached to the mounting surface of the first bar. 
     
     
         14 . The tie bar system of  claim 10  wherein the fasteners comprise a plurality of first magnets and a plurality of second magnets, wherein some of the first magnets are substantially permanently attached to the inner surface of each cover, and wherein the second magnets are substantially permanently attached to the mounting surface of the first bar. 
     
     
         15 . The tie bar system of  claim 10  wherein a first cover comprises a nonmagnetic material, wherein a second cover comprises a magnetic material, wherein the fasteners comprise a first magnet and a second magnet, wherein the first magnet is substantially permanently attached to the inner surface of the first cover, and wherein the second magnet is substantially permanently attached to the mounting surface of the first bar. 
     
     
         16 . The tie bar system of  claim 10  wherein the first bar is pivotally attached to the gripping unit. 
     
     
         17 . The tie bar system of  claim 10  wherein the first bar is integral with the gripping unit. 
     
     
         18 . The tie bar system of  claim 10  comprising a first cover comprising a first outer surface, a second cover comprising a second outer surface, and a third cover comprising a third outer surface, wherein the first, second, and third outer surfaces have different appearances. 
     
     
         19 . A tie bar system comprising:
 a. a tie bar base comprising a first bar pivotally attached to a gripping unit wherein the first bar comprises a mounting surface;   b. a base magnet substantially permanently attached to the mounting surface of the first bar;   c. a first cover comprising an outer surface and an inner surface configured to cooperate with the mounting surface of the tie bar base;   d. a first magnet substantially permanently attached to the inner surface of the first cover;   e. a second cover comprising an outer surface and an inner surface configured to cooperate with the mounting surface of the tie bar base;   f. a second magnet substantially permanently attached to the inner surface of the second cover;   g. a third cover comprising an outer surface and an inner surface configured to cooperate with the mounting surface of the tie bar base; and   h. a third magnet substantially permanently attached to the inner surface of the third cover.   
     
     
         20 . The tie bar system of  claim 19  wherein the first cover comprises a first material, the second cover comprises a second material; and the third cover comprises a third material, and wherein the first material is not identical to the second material or the third material.