Abstract:
A hand hold assembly designed for climbers with special needs. The hand hold assembly has a molded body structure with outwardly extending arms and a grab bar extending therebetween. The hand hold assembly has means for mounting the assembly on a climbing wall so that the grab bar may be disposed at various desired orientations. The grab bar may be textured, have a moisture absorbing layer or be illuminated.

Description:
This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/706,956, filed on Sep. 28, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to hand holds for climbing walls. Particularly, the invention relates to a hand hold assembly designed for use by youth with special needs. More particularly, the invention relates to a hand hold assembly that may be used with cooperating climbing wall structures and accessories by those with special needs. 
     Applicant&#39;s assignee is the holder of a number of U.S. Patents, namely, U.S. Pat. No. 7,046,266 for Climbing Wall Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,154 for Heart Rate Monitors and Displays for Climbing Walls, U.S. Pat. No. 7,419,457 for Climbing Wall Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,520,837 for Climbing Wall Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,520,838 for Climbing Wall Route Setting Assembly and Process, U.S. Pat. No. 7,563,202 for Climbing Wall Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,611,444 for Climbing Wall Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,780,576 for Fitness System for Climbing Walls, U.S. Pat. No. 7,819,778 for Safety Mat Securement Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,862,480 for Safety Mat Securement Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 8,038,581 for Climbing Wall Assembly, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,282,534 for Safety Mat Securement Assembly. The aforementioned U.S. Patents disclose climbing wall structures, hand holds and related climbing wall accessories which are all incorporated by reference hereinto. 
     The present invention provides the benefits and advantages of rock climbing for children with special needs. Rock climbing may be a physically demanding activity requiring concentration, motor planning and sequential thought and thus a challenging activity to accommodate children with physical limitations or cognitive and sensory processing deficits. However, children with special needs can reap many benefits from indoor rock climbing activities. The hand hold assemblies and cooperating climbing accessories of the present invention allow for the inclusion and participation of children with disabilities in rock climbing activities. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The hand hold assembly of the invention is designed for use by youth with special needs. The hand hold assembly is designed to be used with cooperating climbing wall accessories to provide various benefits of rock climbing for children with special needs. For example, the hand hold assembly is designed for use by children with sensory disabilities, physical disabilities, cognitive disabilities, communicative disabilities and the like. 
     The hand hold assembly of the invention comprises a molded body structure with a flat surface for mounting to a climbing wall. The molded body structure has a pair of outwardly extending arm members with a grab bar extending between the terminal ends of the arm members. Means to mount the molded body structure to the surface of the climbing wall is provided and which permits the hand hold assembly to be mounted on the climbing wall with the grab bar disposed at various desired orientations. 
     The hand hold assembly may utilize a molded unitary body structure or a separable molded body structure. The outwardly extending arm members may be provided with opposing apertures to receive the grab bar for extension between the terminal ends of the arm members. 
     The grab bar may have a textured surface or be provided having moisture absorbing properties, such as by means of a coating or a laminated fabric layer to enhance the feel and grip of the grab bar structure. Further, the grab bar may be provided as an illuminated structure, such as a translucent polymeric tubular structure having LED lighting or the like positioned within or adjacent the translucent tubular grab bar structure. 
     The hand hold assembly may be provided in bright colors wherein the molded body structure and grab bar are of contrasting colors, for example, yellow and blue, respectively. The hand hold assembly may also be provided with a water spray nozzle and an associated activation button mounted on the hand hold assembly or adjacent thereto to provide a competitive climber with means to mist a climber to the side or below the hand hold. The water spray nozzle may also be utilized to clean the climbing wall, hand holds and other accessories mounted on the climbing wall. An activation button may also be mounted on the climbing wall itself, for example, to thereby activate a plurality of water spray nozzles mounted on the respective hand holds for climbing wall cleaning purposes. 
     An advantage of the invention is to provide a hand hold assembly conducive for use by children with disabilities. 
     Another advantage is to provide a hand hold assembly which is unitary or separable and having contrasting colors to aid children with visual limitations. 
     Another advantage is to provide hand hold assemblies having activatable spray nozzles for climber misting purposes and/or for climbing wall cleaning purposes. 
     Another advantage is to provide cooperating climbing related products including dry-erase and magnetic climbing wall surfaces that invite cognitive learning, creativity, visual interests, interaction and game play. 
     Another advantage is to provide cooperating ledge foot holds for successful foot placement. 
     Another advantage is to provide a hand hold assembly that allows for adjustability on the climbing wall and which provides a grab bar which may be textured for added stability and sense of control or be constructed of a moisture absorbent material to allow for a better grip. 
     These and other advantages of this invention will become clear from the following description by reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a frontal perspective view of a climbing wall having the hand hold assemblies of the invention mounted thereon; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view showing the hand hold assemblies of the invention mounted on a climbing wall; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the hand hold assembly of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the hand hold assembly of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the hand hold assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view showing the unassembled elements of the hand hold assembly of the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the hand hold assembly of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a frontal view of an alternate embodiment of the grab bar of the hand hold assembly; 
         FIG. 9  is a frontal view of another embodiment of a grab bar structure; and 
         FIG. 10  is a frontal view of another embodiment of a grab bar structure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a plurality of hand hold assemblies  10  are shown mounted on climbing wall  11 . The hand hold assemblies  10  are further shown to be used by climbers utilizing cooperating large and small footholds  12 ,  13 . The latter footholds being mounted at various heights and the hand holds  10  being oriented in various directions on climbing wall  11 . Specifically, the hand holds  10  each shown to have a grab bar which may be mounted in any desired direction and which are engaged by the climber during climbing activities.  FIG. 1  is also shown to have a spray activator button  42 , the function of which is further described below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , the hand hold assembly  10  is shown to be comprised of a molded body structure  14  having separable, generally L-shaped arm members  15 ,  16 . Grab bar  17  is shown extending between arm members  15 ,  16 . In  FIG. 5 , the molded body member  14  is shown to have a flat surface  18  for mounting via a fastener extending through bore  21  in the molded body member.  FIG. 3  shows the hand hold assembly  10  having a spray nozzle  33  extending from arm member  16  and which is further described below. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the hand hold assembly  10  is shown in an unassembled state to show its mating elements or parts. Specifically, the molded body member  14  is shown to have a semi-spherical base having a slotted portion  26  with bore  21 . An offset arm member  16  is shown extending upwardly and having an aperture  20  at its terminal end. A molded L-shaped body structure  24  having arm member  15  is shown having a base portion  25  with bore  22  which aligns with bore  21  when the assembly is in a mating and assembled relationship whereby base portion  25  is positioned within slotted portion  26  of body structure  14  and whereby bore  22  is in alignment with bore  21 . Bore  19  is shown at the terminal end of arm member  15  and is positioned to receive one end of grab bar  17  which is also held in opposing bore  20  of arm member  16  when the hand hold assembly  10  is in its assembled state and mounted to a climbing wall by means of a bolt member  23 . The utilization of a single fastening member permits the hand hold assembly  10  to be mounted to a climbing wall  11  so that the grab bar  17  may be oriented in any desired direction, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The hand hold assembly  10  is shown to have a body structure with rounded or contoured corners and peripheries to provide for an easy and pleasant climbing experience. The molded body structure  14  may be molded of a bright colored polymeric material, i.e., bright yellow or other primary color and the grab bar  17  may be a formed of wood and have a bright blue color to provide contrasting colors with respect to a white climbing wall  11  to aid children with visual limitations, for example. The separable elements of the hand hold assemblies may also permit interchangeable color combinations to provide hand holds that may be utilized to establish climbing routes on a climbing wall. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the hand hold assembly  30  is shown having a unitary body structure  31  with a base member  32 . The unitary body structure  31  may be a molded polymeric structure as described above with respect to the separable molded body structure  14  of hand hold assembly  10 . The hand hold assembly  30  is shown having a spray nozzle  33  and a cooperating activator button  34  mounted on base member  32 . The spray nozzle  33  may be adjustable so that the spray or mist may be directed to a specified area with respect to the climbing wall. A communicating water source (not shown) may be provided on or through the body structure  31 . The spray nozzle  33  and activator  34  may be provided on or in other locations of the body structure  31  of the hand hold assembly. The activation button  34  may be utilized by a climber to cause a spray mist to adjacent climbers or those below the hand hold assembly in a competitive climbing exercise. The spray nozzle  33  may also be utilized for purposes of cleaning the climbing wall and associated climbing elements. For example, activator button  42 , shown in  FIG. 1 , may communicate with and activate a plurality of spray nozzles  33  so that all nozzles may be activated at once or sequentially for wall cleaning purposes. Connective tubing between a water source, the spray nozzle and activator buttons are not shown and are known in the art. The spray nozzle  33  shown in  FIG. 3  may function in the same manner as described above. 
     The hand hold assemblies  10 ,  30  and cooperating foot holds  12 ,  13  are constructed to provide the stability and extra support that some participants need to be successful on a climbing wall. The hand hold assemblies  10 ,  30  provide a comfortable grab bar  17  that allows for a secure grip. Referring to  FIG. 8 , the grab bar  35  may have a textured surface  36  to change the feel and increase the grip of the grab bar. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the grab bar  37  may be constructed having a moisture absorbent material  38  to allow for a better and more comfortable grip. For example, the grab bar  37  may be provided with a moisture absorbing coating or a moisture absorbing fabric layer  38 , as shown, the latter being laminated to or otherwise adhered to the exterior of the grab bar structure. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the grab bar  39  may also be provided having illuminating means  41 . The grab bar  39  may be constructed of a polymeric translucent tubular structure  40  having LED or like lighting source  41  embedded or positioned therein. Associated power means (not shown) via AC or DC and activation means whether by direct or remote means may be utilized. The utilization of the moisture absorbing properties and/or the use of an illuminated grab bar  39  may further enhance the climbing experience of children with special needs. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the hand hold assemblies  10  or  30  can be mounted vertically, horizontally or at an angle for versatility. The cooperating foot holds  13 ,  12  provide a 5 inch deep ledges and lengths of 11 and 19 inches, respectively, and which help climbers maintain balance and lessen fatigue. The cooperating hand hold assemblies  10  and foot holds  12 ,  13  increase climbing wall accessibility for people with a variety of disabilities or mobility needs and may be mounted on Applicant&#39;s assignee&#39;s climbing wall panels as noted above. 
     An activity guide may also be provided to aid instructors to effectively include youth with special needs in climbing programs. As further disclosed in Applicant&#39;s assignee&#39;s patents, smooth dry-erase and magnet accepting surfaces can be written on and to accept magnetic objects. The grab bar style hand hold assemblies  10  and the cooperating ledge style foot holds  12 ,  13  provide stability and extra support and is ideal for adapted or inclusive physical education, occupational therapy and physical therapy and provides opportunities to develop balance, body awareness, muscle strength, motor planning and the like. 
     As many changes are possible to the hand hold assembly embodiments of this invention utilizing the teachings thereof, the descriptions above, and the accompanying drawing should be interpreted in the illustrative and not in the limited sense.