Abstract:
A portable support handle for assisting individuals in exiting and entering motor vehicles. The support handle is designed to removably engage a door striker pin of the vehicle when the door is in an open position. The handle preferably comprises a metal shaft including a pin engagement portion sized to lockably fit into an opening defined by the striker pin in a deployed position; and a grip portion which extends laterally from the striker pin in the deployed position to provide a secure, readily accessible temporary support.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This application relates to a portable support handle for assisting individuals in exiting and entering motor vehicles. The support handle is designed to removably engage a door striker pin of the vehicle when the door is in an open position. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Individuals having mobility impairment, such as the elderly, disabled and expectant mothers, often have difficulty exiting and entering motor vehicles. Many such individuals are not capable of easily moving from a sitting position inside the vehicle to a standing position outside the vehicle, or vice versa, without assistance. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many vehicles sit low to the ground for improved handling and fuel economy, thereby requiring more physical strength and effort for vehicle occupants to rise to a standing position. 
     For example, elderly drivers having reduced leg strength and flexibility typically attempt to support themselves when exiting a vehicle by grabbing hold of the open car door and pushing upwardly. Additionally or alternatively such drivers may brace one arm on the car seat cushion or door frame while twisting their torso outwardly. These movements may result in strain and accidental falls. More particularly, the vehicle door provides insufficient support for many users. Since the vehicle door swings on a hinge it is not secure and may be difficult to reach if the door is fully open. Similarly, the seat cushion and door frames of most cars also do not include gripping points which are secure and easily accessible. The possibility of accidental falls and injuries increases in the case of slippery conditions (i.e. due to snow, ice, wet pavement or the like). 
     The ability to safely exit and enter a vehicle without assistance from another person is often important in maintaining the independence and self-esteem of elderly and disabled drivers. Some vehicle entry and egress systems are known in the prior art to address this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,169, Kopnski, dated 14 Apr. 1992, relates to a handicap assist apparatus for securement to a roof above the passenger compartment of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a flexible tether line for grasping by the handicapped person. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,016, Bergsten, dated 2 Dec. 1986 also exemplifies the prior art. Bergsten discloses a structural aid for facilitating egress from a vehicle which includes sleeve means mounted in the vehicle door frame and a handlebar insertable therein. The sleeve means includes a mounting plate which is secured to the door post flange with fasteners and a sleeve which is welded to the mounting plate. 
     Such prior art systems require structural modification of the vehicle in question which requires skilled labour, is relatively expensive and may potentially invalidate product warranties and insurance coverage. Furthermore, many known prior art systems are relatively complex and cumbersome and are therefore unsuitable for individuals who are mildly or temporarily disabled or who wish to use the mobility aid on several different vehicles. 
     The need has therefore arisen for a portable support handle securely connectable to the standard door striker pin of a motor vehicle for assisting users to safely enter and exit the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, a portable support handle for removably engaging a striker pin mounted on the door frame of a vehicle is provided. The striker pin defines an opening for receiving the door latch of the vehicle when the vehicle door is closed, but ordinarily does not serve a useful purpose when the door is opened. The support handle comprises an elongated shaft having a first end and a second end; a pin engagement portion located at the first end, the pin engagement portion having a longitudinal axis; and a hand grip located at the second end. The support handle is characterized in that the pin engagement portion is moveable between a disengaged position freely moveable relative to the striker pin and an engaged position wherein the pin engagement portion is lockably coupled to the striker pin and the hand grip extends outwardly of the vehicle to provide a temporary support. 
     Preferably the pin engagement portion is insertable through the striker pin opening and is rotatably adjustable about its longitudinal axis between the engaged and disengaged positions. In one embodiment the pin engagement portion is rotatable approximately 45 degrees between the engaged and disengaged positions. The pin engagement portion may comprise a body having a transverse axis extending between opposed side surfaces of the body, wherein the pin engagement portion is insertable through the opening only when the transverse axis is aligned with the widest portion of the opening. For example, if the striker pin opening is rectangular in shape, the widest portion would consist of the diagonal of the opening and the pin engagement portion would be insertable through the opening when the transverse axis is aligned with the diagonal. 
     More particularly, the pin engagement portion may comprise a neck portion having a transverse dimension less than the width of the opening and a head portion tapering outwardly from the neck portion in a direction away from the longitudinal axis, the head portion having a transverse dimension which exceeds the width and length of the opening but which is less than the diagonal of the opening. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the said side surfaces of the body are bevelled at least in the head portion of the pin engagement portion to enable passage of the pin engagement portion through the opening. 
     The support handle may further include a central portion extending between the pin engagement portion and the hand grip which is of a size incapable of passing through the striker pin opening. Preferably the pin engagement portion is inclined relative to the central portion such that said longitudinal axis of said pin engagement portion intersects the longitudinal axis of the central portion at an angle of approximately 15 degrees. The hand grip may also be inclined relative to the central portion and pin engagement portion such that the hand grip has a horizontal or near-horizontal orientation in the engaged position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention but which should not be construed as restricting the spirit or scope of the invention in any way, 
     FIG. 1 is a rear isometric view of the applicant&#39;s support handle. 
     FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of the applicant&#39;s support handle. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof; 
     FIG.  4 ( a ) is a side elevational view thereof; 
     FIG.  4 ( b ) is a longitudinal sectional view thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a striker pin assembly mounted on the vehicle door frame; 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric view showing the applicant&#39;s handle in a disengaged position being inserted into the striker pin opening; 
     FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the handle in the engaged, locked position. 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the handle of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the handle coupled to the striker pin in an alternative orientation; 
     FIG.  10 ( a ) is an isometric, partially exploded view of an alternative embodiment of the invention coupled to the vehicle door frame and shown in the stowed position; and 
     FIG.  10 ( b ) is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIG.  10 ( a ) shown in the deployed position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     This application relates to a portable support handle  10  for use as a mobility aid to assist users in safely entering and exiting motor vehicles. With reference to FIGS. 1-5, handle  10  includes an elongated shaft  12  having a first end  14  and a second end  16 . Shaft  12  has a central portion  18  having a generally flat surface  20  (FIG.  4 ). Central portion  18  further includes flat, parallel side surfaces  21  which extend in a plane perpendicular to surface  20 . 
     A pin engagement portion  22  extends from central portion  18  to first end  14  and a grip portion  24  extends from central portion  18  to second end  16  (FIG.  4 ( b )). As shown best in FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ), both pin engagement portion  22  and grip portion  24  are inclined at an angle (e.g. 15%) relative to the plane of surface  20 . 
     Pin engagement portion  22  includes a narrow neck  26  which tapers inwardly from central portion  18  and a flared head  28  which tapers gently outwardly from neck  26  to first end  14 . The side surfaces  30  of flared head  28  are bevelled as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     Handle  10  further includes a hand grip  32  which preferably surrounds grip portion  24  of shaft  12 . Hand grip  32  may be made of any suitable non-slip material, such as closed cell polymer foam. Shaft  12  is preferably made of high tension stainless steel. 
     Support handle  10  is designed to securely and removably engage the door striker pin  50  of a motor vehicle, such as a car or truck. Striker pin  50  is designed to receive the locking latch of the vehicle door to hold the door locked in the closed position and to hold the door to the door frame in the case of impact. In most vehicles striker pin  50  is a U-shaped rod mounted on the pillar  52  of the door frame  54  (FIG.  5 ). Striker pin  50  ordinarily does not have a functional purpose when the door is opened. 
     As shown in FIG. 6, striker pin  50  includes a mounting plate  56  secured to door pillar  52  and two parallel spaced-apart rod segments  58  which extend outwardly from plate  56 . Segments  58  are joined at a location distal from plate  56  by rod segment  60 . Striker pin rod segments  58 ,  60  together define a rectangular opening  62 . The size of opening  62  varies depending upon vehicle model. Most Japanese and domestic passenger vehicles have an opening  62  on the order of 21 or 22 mm square. The diagonal of opening  62  (i.e. the dimension measured from corner to corner) is ordinarily approximately 26 mm. 
     An important feature of applicant&#39;s invention is that support handle  10  is designed so that only the pin engagement portion  22  of shaft  12  is sized to pass through striker pin opening  62 . In one embodiment of the invention, handle shaft central portion  18  has a width of approximately 22.5 mm; neck  26  has a minimum width of approximately 15 mm; and flared head  28  has a maximum width of approximately 23.5 mm. The hand grip  32  surrounding grip portion  24  has a much wider diameter (i.e. on the order of 40 mm). Since the width of flared head  28  exceeds the space between parallel striker pin rod segments  58 , and between rod segment  60  and mounting plate  56 , pin engagement portion  22  is only insertable through opening  62  on the diagonal. Once inserted, handle  10  is fully rotatable within opening  62  since neck  26  has a much smaller diameter than flared head  28  as discussed above (FIG.  6 ). Central portion  18  is sized so that it is not insertable through opening  62  in any orientation. Although central portion  18  has a width similar to flared head  28 , side surfaces  21  are not bevelled unlike head side surfaces  30 . The edges of side surfaces  21  accordingly engage rod segments  58 ,  60  when handle  10  is moved into opening  62 , thereby preventing the insertion of shaft central portion  18  through opening  62 . 
     In use, handle  10  is used to provide additional support to users having difficulty exiting or entering motor vehicles. A vehicle occupant first opens an adjacent car door to expose door striker pin  50 . The user next grasps hand grip  32  and inserts the pin engagement portion  22  of shaft  12  through striker pin opening  62  in a diagonal orientation as discussed above (FIG.  6 ). Once flared head  28  has passed through opening  62 , the user rotates handle  10  until grip  32  extends laterally outwardly of striker pin  50  in a horizontal or near horizontal plane (FIGS.  7  and  8 ). Handle  12  is self-locking in this support position. In particular, handle shaft  12  cannot move further into opening  62  due to engagement of central portion  18  against striker rod plate  56  and segments  58 ,  60 ; and handle shaft  12  cannot be withdrawn from opening  62  due to engagement of flared head  28  against plate  56  and rod segment  60 . 
     Once handle  10  has been coupled to striker pin  50  as aforesaid, it can be used to support a user rising from a sitting position inside a motor vehicle to a standing position outside the vehicle. In this support position handle  10  functions acts as a lever, namely a downward force applied to grip  32  (as the user presses downwardly on grip  32  to support his or her weight) causes the upper surface of flared head  28  to more forcefully engage striker rod segment  58 . Accordingly, handle  10  provides a very stable and reliable support which is readily accessible. Striker pin  50  and support handle  10  are sufficiently strong to support very heavy loads (exceeding the weight of any ordinary user). 
     Handle  10  may be used similarly to assist users moving from a standing position outside a motor vehicle to a sitting position inside the vehicle. As.shown in FIG. 9, handle  10  may also optionally be oriented so that surface  20  faces downwardly and grip  32  extends at an angle of approximately 45% relative to striker pin  50 . In this position the user can apply a pulling rather than a pushing force to grip  32 . Again, the larger force that is applied to grip  32  by the user, the more securely flared head  22  will engage striking pin  50 . 
     After a user has safely moved to the desired location, support handle  10  may be disengaged from striker pin  50  by rotating handle  10  approximately 45 degrees to the diagonal orientation and withdrawing it from opening  62 . When not in use, handle  10  may be stowed in the glove compartment of the vehicle or any other easily accessible location, such as a sheath affixed to the vehicle door panel. 
     In alternative embodiments of the invention, the grip portion  24  of handle may include a cavity for housing optional accessories, such as a portable flashlight, reflector, personal panic device (siren) or a supply of pepper spray. Handles  10  could be provided in a wide range of decorative colors and shapes. 
     As will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, in other alternative embodiments of the invention, handle  10  may be designed to removably engage the door striker pin  50  by other mechanical means, such as self-closing clamping devices or shafts having pin engagement portions contoured in different shapes. 
     Further, in an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS.  10 ( a ) and  10 ( b ), handle  10  could be pivotably coupled to the vehicle door frame and moveable between stowed and deployed positions rather than being fully portable. A stop  60  is may be mounted on the vehicle door frame to support handle  10  in the deployed position 
     As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.