Patent Publication Number: US-2002005513-A1

Title: Auxiliary handrail for use along stairways

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     [0001] This application claims priority to Provisional Aplication No. 60/217,729 filed Jul. 12, 2000. Said application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] The invention relates to structures aiding handicapped mobility within buildings and more particularly to a pivoting auxiliary handrail for use along stairwells in building.  
       [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0005] Those who are movement impaired often encounter difficulty climbing and descending stairs. Movement impaired individuals frequently place both hands on one handrail and creep up or down the stairway in a sidewise or crab-like fashion. This deliberate motion adds to difficulties in-moving up and down the stairs in that it is an unnatural way of walking and impairs the individual&#39;s ability to see where they are placing their feet.  
       [0006] In addition, should the person lose her balance, she will find herself pivoting around the point on the rail on which she has placed her hands, making it more difficult for the person to break or otherwise prevent a potentially serious fall.  
       [0007] A common solution to this problem is to provide a second handrail. Another solution is to simply stop using the steps and (or), perhaps, move one&#39;s bed to the living room.  
       [0008] Providing a second handrail can be an excellent solution if the stairway is narrow enough, and the individual using the stairs has the proper upper body strength. However, as people age, upper body strength diminishes rapidly. In addition, due to lack of upper body strength, physical size, or both, not all people are capable of supporting themselves effectively on two handrails situated 30 or more inches apart. This invention allows the individual to use handrails that are positioned in the range of 18″ to 26″ apart. This distance essentially allows one to support herself on rails that are almost directly beneath the shoulders, and hence in a much better location for one to support herself in ascending or descending stairs.  
       [0009] In addition, climbing stairs is excellent exercise if one can do it safely. This device, if properly mounted, has the ability to prevent a simple slip from turning into the headover-heels type of stairway fall that puts people in a hospital bed, perhaps permanently, or worse.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010] The present invention consists of a handrail support system for use along a stairway. The support system includes a pair of parallel handrails disposed opposite one another along the stairway. At least one of the pair of handrails supports an auxiliary handrail that hangs beneath it on pivots.  
       [0011] The auxiliary handrail positioning structure includes a pivot secured to a pre-existing handrail or wall disposed along one side of the stairway. The lower pivot supports a strut mechanism that is pivotable in a plane perpendicular into and out of the wall. The handrail is supported on the outer end of the strut structure away from the pivoted end. In our case, we have chosen to combine the struts and the auxiliary handrail into one part by simply bending a tube into a “U” shape.  
       [0012] Movement of the strut structure causes the auxiliary handrail to rotate out and up into a certain maximum position. Appropriate disposition of the support brace positions the handrail at a desired point for grasping by an individual user. This position is determined by the desired distance between the positionable auxiliary handrail and a fixed handrail so that the intended user can easily grasp and support themselves between the two handrails when navigating a stairway. Adistinct advantage of the system exists even when it is not in use, but extended. If the user is carrying something (for instance, a load of clothes) on a stairway and trips, these handrails provide something to grab hold of in order to prevent a serious, perhaps fatal, fall.  
       [0013] An advantage and feature of the invention is that when the auxiliary handrail is in the unused position, the support member is held in place by the underlying auxiliary handrail and when the auxiliary handrail is raised to the use position the support member automatically falls into position. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an auxiliary handrail support system disposed in the relaxed position.  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an auxiliary handrail support system in a position whereby it is ready to use.  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is a side view of the auxiliary handrail as it hangs suspended in the unused position. The object of this view and the blow up areas is to show more detail of the hinge area for the handrail itself and, also to show more detail of the support tube (or rod) that restrains the auxiliary handrail in the elevated position when it is in use.  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is a view from the top of the stairways looking down at an angle with the stair rail illustrating the positioning of the auxiliary handrail showing the positions of the axis of the pivots.  
     [0018]FIG. 5 is a side view of the hand rail in the unused relaxed position showing the pivot axis positions.  
     [0019]FIG. 6 is a side view of the handrail in the use positon showing the positions of the pivot axis.  
     [0020]FIG. 6 is a side view of the handrail showing the pivot axis 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0021]FIG. 1 illustrates a handrail support system  10  disposed along the stairway  12  in the relaxed or unused position.  
     [0022] Handrail  11  is mounted on wall  13  by conventional supports  14  and, which are fastened to wall  13  by appropriate fasteners. The auxiliary handrail struts  16  are supported beneath handrail  11  by a hinge (or pivot) bracket  17  and pin  24 . In this case, the auxiliary handrail struts  16 , and the auxiliary handrail  18 , are combined together as one part by simply bending a tube into a “U” shape. The “U” shaped tube auxiliary handrail  18  and strut  16  are shown hanging vertically underneath the standard handrail  11  and in the unused mode.  
     [0023] Handrail support tube  20  is shown attached to a hinge bracket  21  that is in turn attached to the approximate midpoint of the auxiliary handrail  18 . The handrail support tube  20  is shown in its relaxed or unused position parallel to and resting upon the auxiliary handrail  18 .  
     [0024]FIG. 2 illustrates a handrail support system  10  disposed along the stairway  12  and ready for use by a handicapped, or otherwise temporarily or permanently, physically challenged individual user  22 . The individual user  22  supports himself between the appropriately spaced handrails  18  and  19  while ascending (or descending) stairway  12 .  
     [0025] Handrail  11  is mounted on wall  13  by conventional supports  14  and, which are fastened to wall  13  by appropriate fasteners. The auxiliary handrail struts  16  are supported beneath handrail  11  by a hinge (or pivot) bracket  17  and pin  24 . In this case, the auxiliary handrail struts  16 , and the auxiliary handrail  18 , are combined together as one part by simply bending a tube into a “U” shape ( 16  and  18 ).  
     [0026] The support tube  20  is shown extended and limited to an approximate right angle to the auxiliary handrail tube  18 . In this position, it provides support for the auxiliary handrail  18  in the extended, or functioning, position.  
     [0027]FIG. 3. Illustrates a side view of the auxiliary handrail  18  as it hangs suspended from a standard handrail  11  and in its relaxed or unused position.  
     [0028] Detail  3 A shows the hinge bracket  17  that is connected to the strut  16  by means of a pin  24  that in turn is connected to the fixed handrail  11  by means of two fasteners  25 . These fasteners  25  could be either wood screws or small machine screws fitted into proper receptacles.  
     [0029] Detail  3 B shows the pivoting support leg  20  attached at the approximate midpoint of the auxiliary handrail by way of a hinge. The hinge  21  also serves to prevent the pivoting support leg  20  from rotating down further than enough beyond 90 degrees from the auxiliary handrail and to prevent it from collapsing back when a load is put upon it by the user. In this position, the rubber or elastomer foot  22  keeps the bottom of the support leg  20  from slipping.  
     [0030]FIGS. 4, 5, and  6  illustrate the positions of the axis of the hinges and pivots with al being the axis of the hinge between the mail existing handrail and the support strut of the auxiliary handrail and a 2  being the axis of the hinge between the support member and the auxiliary handrail. A 1  is always substantially parallel to the existing handrail. In the nonuse position, a 2  is at approximately a 45 degree angle to the wall and then rotates to an additional 90 degrees from the wall.