U.S. patent application number 11/037204 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-20 for grab bar assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to GATCO, INC.. Invention is credited to Jim Chang.
Application Number | 20060156466 11/037204 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36682269 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060156466 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chang; Jim |
July 20, 2006 |
Grab bar assembly
Abstract
A grab bar assembly includes a grab bar, a mounting flange and
an annular cover. A connective block with a bolt hole thereof is
fixed on inner side of an end surface of the grab bar. An axial
columnar projection with a central insertion hole is arranged on
the mounting flange. The central insertion hole forms a countersunk
end on the bottom of the mounting flange. When being assembled, the
end surface of the grab bar connects with the columnar projection
of the mounting flange. An inner hexagonal countersunk screw
inserts through the central insertion hole from the countersunk end
on the bottom of the mounting flange and threads into the bolt hole
of the connective block on the end surface of the grab bar so as to
fasten the grab bar with the mounting flange. Then the annular
cover is assembled with the mounting flange by the inner thread
threaded with the outer thread so as to make the annular cover fix
on the mounting flange firmly and shield the mounting flange.
Inventors: |
Chang; Jim; (San Leandro,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LOWE HAUPTMAN BERNER, LLP
1700 DIAGONAL ROAD
SUITE 300
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
GATCO, INC.
|
Family ID: |
36682269 |
Appl. No.: |
11/037204 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/576.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 3/003 20130101;
A47K 2201/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
004/576.1 |
International
Class: |
A47K 3/024 20060101
A47K003/024 |
Claims
1. A grab bar assembly comprising a grab bar, a mounting flange and
an annular cover while the grab bar having two end surfaces, each
end surface having a corresponding mounting flange and a
corresponding annular cover, wherein the grab bar having two end
surfaces; a connective block with a bolt hole is fixed on tubular
inner side of each end surface; the mounting flange having a
plurality of fixing hole for being fixed on a wall by a fastener;
an axial columnar projection with an axial insertion hole that
forms a countersunk end; and an outer thread on outer surface
thereof; the annular cover having a central hole whose diameter is
a bit larger than diameter of the grab bar so as to make the
annular cover insert through the grab bar and shift; an inner
thread is installed on inner side of the bottom of the annular
cover for being threaded with the outer thread so as to fasten the
annular cover with the mounting flange; in accordance with above
structure, the end surface of the grab bar connects with the
columnar projection of the mounting flange; by an inner hexagonal
countersunk screw inserting through the axial insertion hole from
the bottom of the mounting flange and being threaded into the bolt
hole of the connective block on the end surface of the grab, the
grab bar is fastened with the mounting flange; the mounting flange
of the end surface is fixed on the wall by the fastener; the
annular cover is threaded with the mounting flange by the inner
thread matching with the outer thread so as to make the annular
cover fix on the mounting flange firmly and shield the mounting
flange.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the depth of the inner
thread of the annular cover is larger than the height of the of the
outer thread of the mounting flange.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular cover
having certain height for covering and shielding the mounting
flange.
4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular cover
having various shapes.
5. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the annular cover
having various shapes.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a wall-mounted grab bar
assembly, especially to a grab bar assembly being fixed on walls of
bathrooms, near toilets or bathtubs for providing assistance of
disables or elders.
[0002] Generally, a mounting flange is disposed on the rear end
surface of the grab bar. A fixing hole is arranged on the mounting
flange for fixing the grab bar on walls by a fastener. Then a cover
is covered outside each of the mounting flange for shielding and
aesthetics of appearance. There are various design of grab bars
such as embodiments disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,714, U.S. Pat.
No. 5,307,528, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,252. Refer to FIG. 1, an
embodiment disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,714 is shown. An end
surface of a grab bar 10 is inserted into an inner hole on the
center of an annular projection 12 of a mounting flange 11. By the
outer threads threaded with the inner threads on the inner hole of
the annular projection 12, the grab bar 10 is connected with the
mounting flange 11. While the mounting flange 11 is fixed on the
wall by a fastener 13. An annular cover 14 is covered on the
mounting flange 11. The annular cover 14 having an inside diameter
15 for providing the grab bar 10 a loose clearance fit in
pre-assembly so as to make the annular cover 14 covering on the
grab bar 10 to be tilted and laterally shifted and provide the
annular projection 12 a light fit in final assembly. A rubber ring
16 is disposed on contact area so as to make the annular cover 14
fix around the annular projection 12. While a top end 17 of the
annular projection 12 exposes outside the inside diameter 15 of the
annular cover 14. Furthermore, the mounting flange 11 need to have
surface treatment such as plating so as to matching the appearance
of the annular cover 14. Moreover, the shape of the top end 17 is
fixed so that the shape of the corresponding annular cover 14 is
also limited. In addition, due to the tight fit, the rubber ring 16
is easy to get aged thus causing a loose of the annular cover 14.
All above mentioned are shortcomings of the embodiment disclosed in
the U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,714.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to
provide a grab bar assembly composed by a grab bar, a mounting
flange and an annular cover. A connective block with a bolt hole
thereof is fixed on the inner side of inner side of an end surface
of the grab bar. An axial columnar projection with a central
insertion hole is arranged on the mounting flange. The central
insertion hole forms a countersunk end on the bottom of the
mounting flange. When being assembled, the end surface of the grab
bar connects with the columnar projection of the mounting flange.
An inner hexagonal countersunk screw inserts through the central
insertion hole from the countersunk end on the bottom of the
mounting flange and threads into the bolt hole of the connective
block on the end surface of the grab bar so as to fix the grab bar
with the mounting flange. Then the annular cover is threaded with
the mounting flange by the inner thread thereof matching with the
outer thread on outer surface of the mounting flange so as to make
the annular cover assemble with the mounting flange firmly and
shield the mounting flange.
[0004] it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a
grab bar assembly having an annular cover threaded with a mounting
flange by an inner thread thereof matching with an outer thread on
outer surface of the mounting flange so that the mounting flange is
fastened firmly and is shielded completely with the annular cover.
Thus there is no limit on the shape or design of the annular cover
and users has more choices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present
invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best
understood by referring to the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings,
wherein
[0006] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment according
to a prior art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No, 6,038,714;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment in accordance
with the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 3 is an explosive view of the embodiment in accordance
with the present invention shown in FIG. 2;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in
accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 2;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment with a
different cover in accordance with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 5A is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in
accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 5;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment with a
different cover in accordance with the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 6A is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in
accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFFERED EMBODIMENT
[0014] Refer to FIG. 2, FIG. 3, & FIG. 4, a grab bar assembly 2
consists of a grab bar 20, a mounting flange 30, and an annular
cover 40. The grab bar 20 has two end surfaces 21, each has a
corresponding mounting flange 30 and a corresponding annular cover
40.
[0015] The grab bar 20 has two L-shaped end surfaces 21 that
connect with a connective block 22 on inner side respectively. The
connective block 22 can be fixed on the inner side of the end
surface 21 by welding. A bolt hole 23 is disposed on the center of
the connective block 22. A plurality of fixing hole 31 is disposed
around the mounting flange 30 for fixing the grab bar 20 on a wall
by a fastener 32. An axial columnar projection 33 with an axial
insertion hole 34 is arranged on top of the mounting flange 30. The
insertion hole 34 is on rear end of the mounting flange 30 to form
a countersunk end 35 for accommodating a hexagonal countersunk
screw 50 and keeping the rear end of the mounting flange 30 flat to
attach firmly on the wall. An outer thread 36 is set on outer
surface of the mounting flange 30.
[0016] The annular cover 40 includes a central hole 41 whose
diameter is a bit larger than the tube diameter of the grab bar 20
so as to make the annular cover 40 insert the grab bar 20 and
shift. An inner thread 43 is arranged on the inner surface of the
bottom 42 of the annular cover 40. The depth of the inner thread 43
is larger than that of the outer thread 36 so that the inner thread
43 are threaded with the outer thread 36 of the mounting flange 30.
Thus the annular cover 40 is fastened on the mounting flange 30.
Moreover, the annular cover 40 has a certain thickness so tat it
can cover and shield the mounting flange 30.
[0017] When being assembled, the two annular covers 40 are inserted
through the grab bar 20 by the central holes 41. Then one end
surface 21 of the grab bar 20 is connected with the columnar
projection 33 of the mounting flange 30. By an inner hexagonal
countersunk screw 50 inserting through the axial insertion hole 34
from the rear end of the mounting flange 30, threaded with the bolt
hole 23 of the connective block 22 on two surface ends 21, the grab
bar 20 is assembled with the mounting flange 30. Later then the
mounting flange 30 with the two surface ends 21 are fixed on the
wall by the fastener 32 so as to disposed the grab bar 20 on the
wall. And the annular covers 40 inserted through the grab bar 20
are shifted to the corresponding mounting flange 30 respectively
and are threaded with the outer thread 36 of the mounting flange 30
by the inner thread 43 so that the mounting flange 30 is fixed on
and is shield by the annular cover 40. Due to the depth of the
inner thread 43 larger than that of the outer thread 36, even the
mounting flange 30 is not attached on the wall surface closely, the
annular cover 40 still can lean against the wall surface firmly so
as to minimize gap therebetween for the aesthetics of the
appearance.
[0018] Because the annular cover 40 enclosures and shields the
mounting flange 30, the mounting flange 30 won't expose outside so
that there is no limit on the appearance of the annular cover 40.
The different annular covers 40 can be used in combination with the
same mounting flange 30. For example, the annular covers 40a shown
in FIG. 5 & FIG. 5A has the same structure with the annular
covers 40b shown in FIG. 6 & FIG. 6A but with different
appearance and design so as to provide users more choices.
[0019] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur
to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its
broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and
representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly,
various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the
appended claims and their equivalents.
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