Abstract:
The present invention provides an ambulatory assistance device such as a grab bar or the like which pivots between a non-in-use and an in-use position. The pivoting of the device is assisted by a torsion member acting between the base member and the body. The torsion device is selected so as to retain the body in its non-in-use position when placed in that position. The weight of the pivoting body of the present invention overcomes the force generated by the torsion member when the body is placed in the in-use position so as to retain that orientation. Moreover, the torsion member acts to assist the user of the device in counteracting the weight of the pivoting body member when the body member is moved between the non-in-used position and the in-use position.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to an ambulatory assistance device, and more particularly to an ambulatory assistance device such as a grab bar or the like which may be pivoted between an in-use position and a non-in-use stored position. 
     As is known to persons who design and equip facilities which are usable by the general public, it is highly desirable and oftentimes necessary to provide ambulatory assistance devices. Although these devices are probably most commonly used by persons having ambulatory handicaps, these devices may also be used by anyone who requires or merely feels the need for ambulatory assistance. 
     One device which is known to persons in the art for providing this type of assistance is commonly referred to as a grab bar device. While some of the prior devices are arranged such that the device may swing or pivot aside when it is not in-use, none of these devices provide a grab bar device or the like which may swing or pivot between a non-in-use position and an in-use position wherein the device will maintain its selected position or orientation without the use of an auxiliary locking mechanism or which requires the user to move the device through some other locking motion. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an ambulatory assistance device such as a grab bar device or the like which can swing or pivot between a non-in-use position and an in-use position. The present invention acts to maintain its selected position or orientation without relying upon an auxilary locking mechanism or a friction device, or requiring the user of the device to move it through a secondary locking motion. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ambulatory assistance device such as a grab bar or the like which may be moved between a non-in-use position and an in-use position and which will retain the selected position or orientation without relying upon an auxiliary locking mechanism or a friction device, or requiring the user of the device to move it through a secondary motion in order to lock it in the selected position. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ambulatory assistance device that is easy to assemble and readjust for torsional springs of various torque strengths. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ambulatory assistance device wherein the biasing springs are adjustable to increase or decrease torque to accommodate various sizes of grab bars. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ambulatory assistance device such as a grab bar or the like which may be easily moved between a non-in-use position and an in-use position by the user of the device. Other and more detailed objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the disclosure contained herein. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in the in-use position with the non-in-use position shown in phantom; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown from substantially along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown substantially along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As is illustrated by the figures, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a grab bar device  10  or the like which includes a body  12  pivotally connected to a base member  14 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the body  12  is substantially U-shaped and includes a cross link  16  to provide the body  12  with additional structural support and rigidity. In addition, the body  12  is arranged in such a manner as to provide the user with a variety of places to grip the device. Thus, in addition to being simple to manufacture and use, the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the ability to be gripped in an almost unlimited number of places by the user, including along the cross link member. The user may conveniently use the grab device  10  as a handle for assisting in sitting down or arising from a seat, such as a toilet, positioned adjacent the device  10 . As will be well understood to those skilled in the art, however, alternative body figurations and uses are easily possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The base member  14  is adapted to be connected to a wall  18  or some other independent structural member of sufficient strength so as to permit the present invention to be used as an ambulatory assistance device. Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrates a single base member  14  pivotally connected to the body  12 , additional base members could be connected to alternative body constructions without departing from the teachings of the present invention. 
     In order to pivotally mount the body  12  to the base member  14 , the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes first and second fixed rings  20 ,  21  rigidly affixed to the base member  14 . A support collar  22  is rigidly affixed to a first end of the body  12 . The support collar is pivotally supported by a stationary bushing  28  and a rotating bushing  26  longitudinally spaced apart and disposed between said fixed rings. Each bushing  28 ,  26  has annular extensions  25 ,  27  (respectively) forming an annular space  39  in between said bushings and a cavity  41  between said bushings and said collar  22  encircling said bushings. The stationary bushing  28  is secured to the first fixed ring  20  and the base plate  14  by a first set screw  33  while the rotating bushing  26  is connected to the collar  22  by a second set screw  31 . Optionally, a hollow tube may be placed within the cavity  41  formed between the annular extensions of the two bushings  26 ,  28  so as to further strengthen the construction of the grab bar. 
     A torsion device  23  is preferably provided between the rotatable support collar  22  and the fixed rings  20 ,  21 . In the preferred embodiment, torsion device is a torsional spring  34  that wraps around the annular extensions  25 ,  27  of the fixed rings within the cavity  41  and is attached at one end to the stationary bushing  28  and on the opposite end to the rotating bushing  26 . While being assembled, the rotating bushing  26  may be rotated until a sufficient amount of torque is achieved before being secured by the second set screw  31 . This feature permits easy adjustment of the torsional spring force to compensate for the varying spring constants found in torsional springs and to provide different torque for the springs as needed for grab bars of various dimensions. 
     An upper bumper  40  is provided on the base member  14  and is arranged so as to keep the grab bar device from hitting the wall  18  when the device is in the pivoted non-in use position. A similar bumper or stop  38  is provided over the free second end of the device body  12  for engaging the base member  14  to stop the body  12  in a horizontal in-use position for supporting the users weight or force on the body  12 . The bumper  38  also protects the user of the device from possible injury when the body  12  is provided upwardly. Two collars  30  encircle the annular extension  26  and are positioned between the pivoting body  12  and the fixed rings  20 ,  21  to eliminate friction and provide for smoother movement of the body. 
     The body  12  of the present invention has a center of gravity  36  which may be determined either empirically or experimentally. As is best illustrated in FIG. 1, the body center of gravity  36  will have a first moment arm “V” when the device is in the pivoted upwardly to the non-in-use position and a second moment arm “D” when the device is in the substantially extended or downward in-use position. When selecting the torsion means  23 , it is necessary to evaluate the weight of the body  12  and the length of these moment arms V and D. The selection of the torsion means  23 , and particularly the torsion spring  34  of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, may be determined as follows. 
     In selecting the torsion member for use with the present invention, it is necessary to determine the torque associated with the pivoting body of the present invention, including the body member  12  and any associated elements or members connected thereto and pivoting therewith such as the crosslink member  16  as they pivot between the device in-use down position and the device non-in-use up position. This torque may be calculated by multiplying the weight of the pivoting body by the distance between the center of gravity and the pivot point. In order to maintain the bar in the stored non-in-use up position without any latching mechanism, the torque provided by the torsion member  23  in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, must be greater than the clockwise torque produced by the weight of the pivoting body when the device is in the non-in-use stored position. 
     Similarly, it is possible to calculate or measure the clockwise torque produced by the weight of the pivoting body when it is in the substantially in-use downwardly pivoted position. In order to insure that the device will stay in the in-use pivoted position when it is moved to that position by the user of the device  10 , the counterclockwise torque provided by the torsion member  23  must be less in the in-use position than the clockwise torque produced by the weight of the pivoting body. By such an arrangement, the torque produced by the weight of the pivoting body will be sufficient to retain the device in the substantially downward position when the user so positions the device. In addition, the torsion member will act to assist the user of the device in pivoting the present invention between the non-in-use position and the in-use position such that the ambulatory assistance device of the present invention may be pivoted quite easily. Friction forces between any adjacent parts of the present invention assist the torsion device in increasing the stability of the present invention to remain in any selected position. 
     For purposes of example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the body member  12  and the cross link  16  were constructed from a U-shaped 1¼ inch diameter stainless steel tubing to extend outwardly from the wall  32 ″ in the down position. The resultant body  12  had a weight of 3.65 lbs. The support collar  22  was constructed from a 1½ inch diameter stainless steel tube which was welded to one end of the U-shaped body member  12 . The diameter of the optional hollow tube is approximately ⅝ inches with the annular space slightly larger. The length of the annular space in the preferred embodiment is three inches. By this construction, the moment arm U was 3.35 inches and the moment arm D was 15.77 inches. Thus the weight-produced torque was 12.2 in the up position and 57.5 in-lbs. in the down position. Thus the torsion member  23  was required to produce more than 12.2 in lbs. in the up position and less than 57.5 in lbs. in the down position, i.e., after 90° degree downward rotations. 
     In this embodiment, the torsion spring  34  was chosen as the torsion member  23  and the spring constant was selected to produce the desired torque, as described above. The spring extended from the plastic stationary bushing  28  at one end to the rotating bushing  26  at the other end. The stationary bushing  28  was secured to the fixed ring  20  by the first set screw  33 . Similarly, the rotating bushing  26  was secured to the rotating support collar  22  by the second set screw  31 . The torsion spring  34  was connected to the rotating bushing  26  at one end and to the stationary bushing  28  at the other end by inserting each end of the spring into a hole in the respective bushing. 
     As stated above, the spring acted to counteract the torque produced by the weight of the pivoting body when the device was in the pivoted non-in-use position to hold the body in the upward, non-in-use position while permitting the torque produced by the pivoting body to overcome the force of the torsional spring  34  when grab bar device was in the horizontal in-use position to allow the body  12  to remain in the downward in-use position. Moreover, the spring acted to counteract the weight of the body of the device during the rotation stroke between the non-in-use position and the in-use position so as to permit the easy and convenient use of the device of the present invention. 
     It is believed that the present invention provides a simple yet reliable device which may be easily operated by persons who need the assistance of an ambulatory assistance device such as a grab bar or the like according to the present invention. Moreover, it is believed that the teachings of the present invention are equally applicable to other devices wherein it is desirable to have the device easily pivot between a non-in-use position and an in-use position. Accordingly, although a preferred embodiment of the invention is described herein, persons skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be applied to other devices without departing from the teachings hereof. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is limited only by the claims appended hereto.