Bath safety rail

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9962040-B2
Application number	US-201615345145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 9, 2013
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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;
d) a first cam follower engaged to the first central portion of the first suction cup and extending from the second surface of the first suction cup;
e) a first cam in the base and engaging the first cam follower, the first cam being turnable on the first axis, the first cam drawing the first cam follower away from the plane when the first cam is turned to draw the first suction cup tight and create a greater negative pressure between the bath surface and the first surface of the first suction cup; and
f) wherein the handle engages the base through the first cam, the handle being engaged to the base with a first fastener, the first cam having a first through slot through which the first fastener extends, the first through slot having the first axis such that the first cam may turn about the first axis and relative to the first fastener.

2. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , wherein the first cam follower includes a first coaxial portion that is coaxial with said first axis of said first suction cup and a first crosswise portion that extends crosswise relative to the first coaxial portion, the cam engaging the first crosswise portion.

3. The bath safety rail of claim 2 , wherein the first cam includes a first rotating piece in the base, the first rotating piece being turnable on the first axis, the first rotating piece having a first ramp disposed obliquely relative to said first plane, the first ramp engaging the first crosswise portion of the first cam follower and drawing the first cam follower away from the plane when the first rotating piece is turned to draw the first suction cup tight and create a greater negative pressure between the bath surface and the first surface of the first suction cup.

4. The bath safety rail of claim 3 , wherein the first rotating piece further comprises a first receiver for the first crosswise portion of the first cam follower, wherein the first ramp includes an upper end spaced from the first plane by a first distance, wherein the first receiver is spaced from the first plane by a second distance that is less than the first distance, and wherein the upper end of the first ramp leads into the first receiver such that, after the first crosswise piece is drawn linearly up the first ramp, the first crosswise piece is drawn linearly downwardly into the first receiver by pressure from the first suction cup so as to minimize the first crosswise piece from dropping back down the first ramp and so as to maximize retention of suction by the first suction cup.

5. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , wherein the first cam further comprises a first receiver for a portion of the cam follower, wherein the first cam includes an upper end spaced from the first plane by a first distance, wherein the first receiver is spaced from the plane by a second distance that is less than the first distance, and wherein the upper end of the first cam leads into the first receiver such that, after the portion of the cam follower is drawn linearly up the first cam, the portion of the first cam follower is drawn linearly downwardly into the first receiver by pressure from the first suction cup so as to minimize the portion of the first cam follower from dropping linearly down and so as to maximize retention of suction by the first suction cup.

6. 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, a second cam follower and a second cam.

7. The bath safety rail of claim 6 , wherein the first end of the handle opposes the first cam and wherein the second end of the handle opposes the second cam.

8. The bath safety rail of claim 3 , wherein the first rotating piece includes first and second ramps and wherein the first cam follower includes first and second crosspieces that are diametrically opposite of each other, each of the first and second ramps having an upper end and the upper ends being diametrically opposite of each other, each of the first and second ramps having a lower end and the lower ends being diametrically opposite of each other such that the first and second ramps draw the first and second crosspieces away from the first plane at the same time.

9. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , wherein the base includes an inside and an outside, the cam including a first tab that extends from the inside to the outside such that the first tab can be manipulated by a finger to rotate the first cam and draw the first suction cup tightly against the bath surface.

10. The bath safety rail of claim 9 , wherein the base includes a circular slot having said first axis and further having first and second ends, the first tab extending through the circular slot and traveling from the first end to the second end of the circular slot when the first tab is manipulated to turn the first cam.

11. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a first receptacle shaped recess for receiving a portion of the first suction cup, the first receptacle shaped recess having a first opening on said first axis, the first cam follower extending from the first suction cup, then through the first opening, and then to the cam.

12. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , and further comprising a second fastener and second through slot, the first cam turning relative to each of the first and second fasteners.

13. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , wherein said first through slot is arcuate in shape and arcuate relative to said first axis.

14. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , wherein the first through slot turns relative to the first fastener.

15. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , wherein the handle includes first and second legs, wherein the first cam includes first and second through slots, wherein said first and second legs extend, respectively, through said first and second through slots, and wherein said first cam and said first and second through slots turn relative to said first and second legs.

16. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a first leg, the first leg extending through the first through slot, the first through slot having first and second ends, the first cam and first through slot turning relative to said first leg such that said first leg is disposable at a first end of the first through slot at a first time and at a second end of the first through slot at a second time.

17. The bath safety rail of claim 1 , wherein said first through slot is arcuate in shape and arcuate relative to said first axis, and further comprising a second through slot that is arcuate in shape and arcuate relative to said first axis, the first and second through slots diametrically opposing each other.

Assignees

• Regalo Int Llc

Inventors

• Flannery Mark A
• Linehan Brian G

Classifications

• A47K3/003 Primary

  Grips for baths · CPC title

• A47K2201/025

  with resilient locking device · CPC title

• F16B47/00

  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)} · CPC title

• A47K17/022

  Wall mounted grab bars or handles, with or without support on the floor · CPC title