Abstract:
An adjustable mobility assistance device for providing a wall-mounted handle having a pulley assembly for extending the handle to an operable position includes a handlebar pivotally coupled to a wall and a pulley system for raising the handlebar to a usable position. In an embodiment, the handlebar is provided with a plurality of adjustable portions to permit adjustment of the width of the handlebar and the distance of extension of a gripping portion of the handlebar from the wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to mobility assistance devices and more particularly pertains to a new adjustable mobility assistance device for providing a wall-mounted handle having a pulley assembly for extending the handle to an operable position. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of mobility assistance devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, mobility assistance devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,236; U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,773; U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,107; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 342,435; U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,982; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,642,117. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new adjustable mobility assistance device. The inventive device includes a handlebar pivotally coupled to a wall and a pulley system for raising the handlebar to a usable position. 
     In these respects, the adjustable mobility assistance device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a wall-mounted handle having a pulley assembly for extending the handle to an operable position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of mobility assistance devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new adjustable mobility assistance device construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing a wall-mounted handle having a pulley assembly for extending the handle to an operable position. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the mobility assistance devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new adjustable mobility assistance device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mobility assistance devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a handlebar pivotally coupled to a wall and a pulley system for raising the handlebar to a usable position. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the mobility assistance devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new adjustable mobility assistance device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mobility assistance devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device that is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such adjustable mobility assistance device economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device for providing a wall-mounted handle having a pulley assembly for extending the handle to an operable position. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device which includes a handlebar pivotally coupled to a wall and a pulley system for raising the handlebar to a usable position. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device that is mountable to a wall proximate a toilet facility such that a cable is positioned near the toilet facility for pulling a handlebar into a reachable position while a user is seated on the toilet facility. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new adjustable mobility assistance device that remains in a retracted position against a wall until a pulley system is activated to extend a handlebar into reach of a user. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new adjustable mobility assistance device according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the handlebar and hook connection of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the handlebar of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new adjustable mobility assistance device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the adjustable mobility assistance device  10  generally comprises a handlebar  12  designed for pivotally coupling to a wall  2  and a pulley assembly  14  for pulling the handlebar into a reachable position to assist a user in a transition between a seated position and a standing position. The handlebar includes a gripping portion  15  positioned distally with respect to a pivotal coupling  16  such that the gripping portion is extendable from the wall. 
     The pulley system is coupled to the handlebar and includes a cable  17  operationally coupled to the handlebar for pulling the handlebar to extend the gripping portion away from the wall when the cable is pulled. 
     In an embodiment, the handlebar is generally U-shaped and including a cross bar  13  and a pair of side bars  18  and  19 . Each side bar extends from an associated end of the cross bar. 
     The cross bar and the side bars each include a respective adjustment assembly  20 ,  21 , and  22  for selectively adjusting a respective length of the cross bar and side bars. Each of the adjustment assemblies has similar structure. The cross bar has a first member  24  and an associated second member  25  adjustably coupled to the first member  24 . Each side bar includes a respective first member  26 ,  28  and an associated second member  27 ,  29  adjustably coupled to the first member  26 ,  28 . Each respective first member  24 ,  26 ,  28  includes an insertion portion  32 ,  33 ,  34  that is slidably insertable into the associated second portion  25 ,  27 ,  29 . Each first member  24 ,  26 ,  28  includes an aperture  35  therein and a stopping assembly  38 . The stopping assembly includes a stopping member  42 . The stopping member is biased into an extended position defined by a rounded distal end  43  of the stopping member being extended through the aperture  35  and protruding outwardly from an outer surface of the insertion portion. The stopping member is pressable towards the insertion portion such that the stopping member is substantially positioned within the insertion portion to define a retracted position. 
     Each associated second member includes a plurality of spaced holes  45 . The holes are arranged along a length of the second member and are positioned to receive the stopping member when the stopping assembly is in the extended position. Thus, a length of the cross bar and side bars is adjustable by positioning the stopping member in a selectable one of the plurality of spaced holes in the associated second member. 
     The device  10  also includes a pair of hooks  48 . Each hook is designed for mounting on the wall. In an embodiment, screws are used to fixedly mount the hooks to the wall. Each side bar includes a hook aperture  55 . Each hook is inserted through an associated one of the hook apertures such that the hooks support the handlebar. The hooks are turned upwardly and are slidable within the hook apertures whereby the handlebar is pivotally coupled to the hooks such that the cross bar is extendable away from the wall. 
     The pulley system includes a pulley  62  designed for coupling to a ceiling such that the pulley extends downwardly from the ceiling. In an embodiment, the pulley is coupled to the ceiling in a position horizontally spaced from the cross bar when the side bars extend substantially orthogonally from the wall to facilitate lifting of the handlebar by pulling on the cable. 
     The cable is coupled to the cross bar at a first end  64  and a weight member  66  is coupled to a second end  65  of the cable. A medial portion  63  of the cable is supported by the pulley. The weight member is designed for maintaining tension in the cable such that the cable is prevented from disengaging from the pulley. The weight member is also designed to provide some counterbalance to the weight of the handlebar to facilitate lifting of the handlebar by disabled or otherwise weakened users. The weight member is designed for grasping by a user to facilitate pulling of the cable to extend the cross bar away from the wall into a reachable position whereby the handlebar is graspable to provide support to facilitate a transition between a standing position and a seated position. The device  10  is particularly designed for use in association with a toilet or other furniture that requires a transition between a standing position and either a seated or supine position. 
     The pulley includes a mounting bracket  68  having a substantially planar backing member  71  and pair of spaced arms  72  extending outwardly from the backing member. The pulley includes a wheel  74  rotatably coupled between the arms. The weight member is generally spherical having a diameter greater than a distance between the spaced arms for preventing the second end of the cable from passing through the pulley. 
     In an embodiment, a distal end of each insertion portion includes a protruding annular flange  75  and a distal end of each associated second member includes an inwardly disposed lip  76 . The flange is positioned to abut against an associated lip for preventing the insertion portion from sliding out of the second member. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.