Bath safety rail

• US 9,486,111 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2014
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regalo International LLC
• Original Assignee: Regalo International LLC
• Inventors: Flannery, Mark A., Linehan, Brian G.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US14/298,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20140359933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 884 Days
• Field of Search: 457/61, 457/71, 248/205.8, 248/206.3, 248/206.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 17/022 Wall mounted grab bars or handles, with or without support on the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2201/025 with resilient locking device
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/003 Grips for baths
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 47/00 Suction cups for attaching purposes; Equivalent means using adhesives devices using adhesives, suction or magnetism for hanging or supporting pictures or the like A47G1/17; vacuum work holders B25B11/005; anchoring of ships using suction B63B21/27; suction cups for handling glass B65G49/061; load-engaging elements for cranes using suction means B66C1/02

Abstract

A bath safety rail for being engaged to and disengaged from a bath surface. The bath safety rail includes a base, a handle on the base, first and second suction cups opposing the handle, cam followers on the suction cups that extend into the base, and cams in the base to engage and draw up the cam followers and suction cups to thereby create suction. The handle is two-piece where the pieces are separated by a handle plane, where each axis of each suction cup is in the handle plane.

Claims

1. A bath safety rail for being engaged to and disengaged from a bath surface, comprising:

a) a base;

b) a handle on the base;

c) a first suction cup confronting the base, the first suction cup having a first surface that engages said bath surface and a second surface that confronts the base, the first suction cup having a first central portion and a first axis extending through the first central portion, the first suction cup further having a first periphery, the first periphery being in a first plane and the first axis being at a right angle to the first plane; and

d) the handle being formed of two opposing pieces, each of the opposing pieces being on one side of a handle plane, the first axis being in the handle plane, the handle plane being at a right angle to the first plane.

2. The bath safety rail of claim 1, wherein the two opposing pieces are half pieces.

3. The bath safety rail of claim 1, wherein the two opposing pieces are generally mirror images of each other.

4. The bath safety rail of claim 1, and further comprising a second suction cup confronting the base, the second suction cup having a third surface that engages said bath surface and a fourth surface that confronts the base, the second suction cup having a second central portion and a second axis extending through the second central portion, the second suction cup further having a second periphery, the second periphery being in a second plane and the second axis being at a right angle to the second plane, and the second axis being in the handle plane.

5. The bath safety rail of claim 1, wherein the handle includes first and second ends and the base extends between the first and second ends, and further comprising a second suction cup, the first end of the handle opposing the first suction cup and the second end of the handle opposing the second suction cup, the handle plane cutting through each of the first and second suction cups.

6. The bath safety rail of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises:

a) first and second ends;

b) a first handle portion extending from the first end, the first handle portion being straight and further being one of

     1) on the first axis, and

     2) parallel to the first axis;

c) a second handle portion extending from the second end, the second handle portion being oblique relative to the first axis;

d) a third handle portion, the third handle portion extending from the first handle portion and being generally in the shape of a dovetail; and

e) a fourth handle portion, the fourth handle portion extending between and undulating between the second and third handle portions.

7. The bath safety rail of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises:

a) first and second ends;

b) a first handle portion extending from the first end;

c) a second handle portion extending crosswise relative to the first handle portion, the second handle portion extending from the first handle portion in the direction of the second end of the handle;

d) a third handle portion, the third handle portion extending from the second handle portion in the direction of the second end and further extending away from the base;

e) a fourth handle portion extending from the third handle portion and extending away from the base to form a peak;

f) a fifth handle portion extending from the fourth handle portion and extending to a location that is further from the first axis than the second end of the handle; and

g) a sixth handle portion extending from the fifth handle portion and back in a direction toward the first axis to the second end of the handle.

8. The bath safety rail of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises:

a) first and second ends;

b) a first handle portion extending from the first end, the first handle portion being straight and further being one of

     1) on the first axis, and

     2) parallel to the first axis;

c) a second handle portion extending from the second end, the second handle portion extending in a direction away from the first axis and in a direction away from the second end;

d) a third handle portion, the third handle portion extending from the second handle portion and being formed in the shape of an arc;

e) a fourth handle portion, the fourth handle portion extending from the third handle portion and extending to a location that is further from the first axis than the second end of the handle; and

f) a fifth handle portion, the fifth handle portion extending from the fourth handle portion to the second end of the handle.