US20060156466A1

US20060156466A1 - Grab bar assembly

Info

Publication number: US20060156466A1
Application number: US11/037,204
Authority: US
Inventors: Jim Chang
Original assignee: Gatco Inc
Current assignee: Gatco Inc
Priority date: 2005-01-19
Filing date: 2005-01-19
Publication date: 2006-07-20

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.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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.
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

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.
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

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
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment according to a prior art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No, 6,038,714;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an explosive view of the embodiment in accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment with a different cover in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5A is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment with a different cover in accordance with the present invention;
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

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.
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.
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.
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.
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 40 a shown in FIG. 5 & FIG. 5A has the same structure with the annular covers 40 b shown in FIG. 6 & FIG. 6A but with different appearance and design so as to provide users more choices.
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.

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.