Patent Publication Number: US-11643820-B2

Title: Safety handle device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of Taiwanese Utility Model Patent Application No. 109217039, filed on Dec. 24, 2020. 
     FIELD 
     The disclosure relates to an assistive device, more particularly to a safety handle device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , in order to improve safety of bathroom, a safety handle  1  is commonly installed in the wall of bathroom to assist safe bathing for the elderly or people with mobility impairments. The safety handle  1  has a U-shaped tubing  11  and two fixture members respectively connected to opposite ends of the tubing  11 . The tubing  11  can be installed on the wall through the fixture members  12 . 
     The tubing  11  is integrally formed by metal casting. In order to enhance visual appearance, the tubing  11  needs to undergo a time-consuming surface polishing process. However, due to the bulky size of the tubing  11 , the manufacturing costs of the safety handle  1  is relatively high. 
     SUMMARY 
     Therefore, the object of the disclosure is to provide a safety handle device that can save manufacturing time and reduce manufacturing costs. 
     According to the disclosure, a safety handle device is adapted to be installed on a wall. The safety handle device includes a handle tube unit, a plurality of joint members, and a plurality of support tube units. 
     The handle tube unit is adapted to be disposed at a spacing from the wall, and is formed with a tube channel that extends along an axis of the handle tube unit, and that has two openings opposite along the axis of the handle tube unit. The handle tube unit has a plurality of mounting holes that is in communication with the tube channel. 
     The joint members correspond respectively in position to the mounting holes and are detachably disposed in the tube channel of the handle tube unit. Each joint member has an engaging bore that is in alignment and communication with the respective mounting hole. 
     The support tube units are joined to the joint members respectively and are coupled detachably to the handle tube unit. Each support tube unit includes a support tube subunit, a fastening member, a securing seat, and a securing member. The support tube subunit is in aligned with a respective mounting hole and is detachably coupled to an outer surface of the handle tube unit. The fastening member passes from an interior of the support tube subunit through the respective mounting hole of the handle tube unit, is engaged detachably with the engaging bore of the respective joint member. The securing seat is adapted to be fixed to the wall and is connected to the support tube subunit. The securing member extends detachably into the support tube subunit and is connected detachably to the securing seat. 
     For each support tube unit, the support tube subunit has a pedestal connected to the securing seat, a support tube welded to the pedestal and extending to the handle tube unit, and an insert piece disposed in the interior of and welded to the support tube. The fastening member passes through the insert piece. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an existing safety handle; 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the safety handle device according to the disclosure; 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic side view of the first embodiment installed on a wall; 
         FIG.  4    is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the first embodiment; 
         FIG.  5    is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the first embodiment; 
         FIG.  6    is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a handle unit, a support tube unit and a first joint member of the first embodiment; 
         FIG.  7    is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the first embodiment installed on the wall; 
         FIG.  8    is an exploded perspective view of the support tube unit of the first embodiment; 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the safety handle device according to the disclosure; 
         FIG.  10    is a partly exploded perspective view of the second embodiment; and 
         FIG.  11    is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the second embodiment installed on the wall. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  2  and  3   , the first embodiment of the safety handle device according to the present disclosure is adapted to be installed on a wall  9 . The wall  9  is described by the example of a bathroom wall, but the wall  9  actually may be a wall or partition in any place. The safety handle device includes a handle tube unit  2 , two first joint members  3 , a second joint member  4  and three support tube units  5 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  3  to  5   , the handle tube unit  2  is adapted to be disposed at a spacing from the wall  9 . The handle tube unit  2  of the first embodiment includes a first tube member  21 , a second tube member  22  detachably connected with the first tube member  21 , and two end caps  23 . The first tube member  21  and the second tube member  23  are formed with a tube channel  20  that extends along an axis (L) of the handle tube unit  2 . The tube channel  20  has two openings  201  at the opposite ends along the axis (L) of the handle unit  2 . The two end caps  23  are disposed detachably and respectively at the openings  201  and close the openings  201  respectively. Each end cap  23  has a cover portion  231  shielding the respective opening  201 , and a protruding portion  232  protruding from the cover portion  231  into the tube channel  20 , and provided with a threaded bore. The first tubular members  21  is a straight tube, and the second tube member  22  is a bent tube. However the second tube member  22  may also be a straight tube, or the first tube member  21  may also be a bent tube, it depends on the requirements of installation. The first tube member  21  has three mounting holes  24 . Two of the mounting holes  24  are formed respectively in opposite ends of the first tube member  21  and communicate with the tube channel  20 , and the remainder one of the mounting holes  24  is formed in and end of the second tube member  22  and communicate with the tube channel  20 . The combination of the first tube member  21  and the second tube member  22  provides a lengthened handle tube unit  2 , or provides a bending portion of the handle tube unit  2  as required for installation. It should be understood that when there is a need for greater length or more bending portions of the handle tube unit  2 , the handle tube unit  2  may include a combination of more first tube members  21  and second tube members  22  and thus additional mounting holes  24  are provided in this handle tube unit  2 . The wall thickness of the first tube member  21  and the second tube member  22  is between 1.0 mm and 1.5 mm, and is 1.35 mm in this embodiment. By increasing the wall thickness, the structural strength of the first tube member  21  and the second tube member  22  can be improved and the load-bearing capacity is in turn increased. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  4  to  6   , the first joint members  3  and the second joint member  4  correspond respectively in position to the mounting holes  24  and are detachably disposed in the tube channel  20  of the handle tube unit  2 . The two first joint members  3  are plugged in the first tubular member  21  and the second tubular member  22  respectively, and proximate to the two openings  201  of the tube channel  20  respectively. The two end caps  23  are fastened to the two first joint members  3  respectively. The second joint member  4  is plugged in the first tube member  21  and the second tube member  22  to thereby interconnect them. Each first joint member  3  includes a body part  31  detachably disposed in the tube channel  20 , and a threaded stud  32  extending from the body part  31  toward a respective opening  201  and threadedly engaged with a respective end cap  23 . The body part  31  is formed with an engaging bore  311  that is in alignment and communicated with the respective mounting hole  24 , and that is a threaded through-hole. The second joint member  4  has a structure similar to the body part  31  of the first joint member  3 . The second joint member  4  has a joint section  41  disposed in the first tube member  21  and an insert section  42  disposed in the second tube member  22 . One of the joint section  41  and the insert section  42  is formed with an engaging bore  411 . In this embodiment, the engaging bore  411  is formed in the joint section  41 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  3  and  6   , the three support tube units  5  are respectively joined to the two first joint members  3  and the second joint member  4 , and are detachably coupled to the handle tube unit  2 . Each support tube unit  5  includes a support tube subunit  51  extending in a first direction (X) and connected to the handle tube unit  2 , a fastening member  52  disposed in the support tube subunit  51  and engaged with the respective engaging bore  311 ,  411 , a washer  53  pressed between the fastening member  52  and the support tube subunit  51 , a securing seat  54  connected with the support tube subunit  51  and adapted to be fixed to the wall  9 , and a securing member  55  threaded into the support tube subunit  51  in a second direction (Y) which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction (X) and connected to the securing seat  54 . In the first embodiment, the fastening member  52  is a bolt which has a head  521  and a shank  522  extending from the head  521  in the first direction (X), and the securing member  55  is a screw. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  6  to  8   , for each support tube unit  5 , the support tube subunit  51  is aligned with a respective mounting hole  24  and detachably coupled to an outer surface of the handle tube unit  2 . It is noted that the description will be made hereinafter with reference only one support tube unit  5 . The support tube subunit  51  has a pedestal  56  connected to the securing seat  54 , a support tube  57  extending from the pedestal  56  to the handle tube unit  2  in the first direction (X) and connected with the pedestal  56  by plasma welding, and an insert piece  58  fixed inside of the support tube by laser welding and provided for holding the fastening member  52 . The pedestal  56  has a base wall  561  and a surrounding wall  562  surrounding the base wall  561  and extending from a periphery of the base wall  561  away from the support tube  57 . The base wall  561  and the surrounding wall  562  cooperatively form an accommodating groove  560  that accommodates the securing seat  54 . The base wall  561  has a through hole  563  communicated with the accommodating groove  560 . The support tube  57  has a fixed end  571  extending through the base wall opening  563  and welded to the base wall  561 , a contoured end  572  opposite to the fixed end  571  in the first direction (X) and coupled to the exterior of the handle tube unit  2 , and a perforation  573  formed between the contoured end  572  and the fixed end  571 . The fixed end  571  and the pedestal  56  are welded at an intersection (A) which is between the fixed end  571  and the base wall  561  of the pedestal  56  and which is located in the accommodating groove  560 . The contoured end  572  is shaped in conformity with the outer contour of the handle tube unit  2 . The insert piece  58  is disposed in the interior of the support tube  57  and welded to the support tube  57 . The insert piece  58  has an end wall  581  and a peripheral wall  582  surrounding the end wall  581  and extending from the end wall  581  toward the handle tube unit  2 . The end wall  581  has an aperture  583  through which the fastening member  52  passes. The insert piece  58  is welded to the support tube  57  at an interconnection (A′) which is between the peripheral wall  582  of the insert piece  58  and the support tube  57 . In the first embodiment, since the contoured end  572  is conformed in shape to the outer wall of the handle tube unit  2 , and the welding positions (i.e., the intersection (A) between the pedestal  56  and the support tube  57 , and the interconnection (A′) between the insert piece  58  and the support tube  57 ) is concealed, the overall structural appearance is more aesthetically pleasing. The wall thickness of the support tube  57  and the pedestal  56  is between 1.0 mm and 1.5 mm, and is 1.35 mm in this embodiment. With a greater wall thickness, the structural strength of the support tube  57  and the pedestal  56  can be improved and the load-bearing capacity is in turn increased. 
     The fastening member  52  passes from the interior of the support tube  57  through, in the first direction (X), the aperture  583  of the insert piece  58  and the respective mounting hole  24  of the handle tube unit  2 , and is engaged detachably with the engaging bore  311  of the respective first and second joint members  3 ,  4 . The washer  53  is pressed between the head  521  of the fastening member  52  and the end wall  581  of the insert piece  58 . As such, the support tube unit  5  is fixed to the handle tube unit  2 . 
     The securing seat  54  is adapted to be fixed to the wall  9  by a plurality of screws  8  and is connected to the support tube subunit  51 . The securing seat  54  has a main seat body  541  adapted to be fixed to the wall  9  and accommodated in the accommodating groove  560  of the pedestal  56 , and a rod body  542  extending from the main seat body  541  in the first direction (X) into the support tube  57 . The rod body  542  has a fastening hole  543  extending in the second direction (Y). 
     The securing member  55  extends detachably into the support tube  57  through the perforation  573  of the support tube  57 , and is threadedly engaged with the fastening hole  543  of the securing seat  54 , thereby fixing the support tube subunit  51  to the securing seat  54 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  3  and  7   , during the installation of the present disclosure, the support tube subunits  51  of the support tube units  5  are first joined to the handle tube unit  2 , then the securing seats  54  are fixed to the wall  9 , and finally the support tube subunits  51  are joined to the securing seats  54  respectively. 
     According to the present disclosure, the safety handle device is broken down to the handle tube unit  2 , the first and second joint members  3 ,  4 , and the support tube units  5 . The support tube subunit  51  of each support tube unit  5  is composed of a plurality of components fixed together by welding, and the first joint members  3  and the second joint member  4  are used to connect the support tube units  5  to the handle tube unit  2 . Therefore, the components of the safety handle device of the present disclosure can be made from tubing or sheet metal through the techniques such as stamping, shearing, turning-milling, or bending. Compared with the conventional safety handle manufactured as an integral by casting which entails a time-consuming surface polishing process, the manufacturing time and cost can be reduced since the relative small components are easier to process. In addition, in the first embodiment, the configuration that the welding positions (A, A′) of each support tube subunit  51  are concealed makes the visual appearance more aesthetically pleasing. 
     It is worth mentioning that, in the first embodiment, the combination of the first tube member  21  and the second tube member  22  provides a handle tube unit  2  with greater length or required bending portion, and through an arrangement of the mounting holes  24  on the handle tube unit  2  at appropriate spacing determined by the length thereof for connection of the support tube units  5 , a desired load-bearing capacity of the safety handle device can be maintained. Therefore, the length of the handle tube unit  2  of the first embodiment can be considerably increased to enable wider applicability. In addition, in the first embodiment, the wall thickness of the first tube member  21 , the second tube member  22 , and the support tube  57  and the pedestal  56  of each support tube unit  5  can be as large as 1.0-1.5 mm such that the load-bearing capacity of the safety handle device can be more than 200 kg. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  9  to  11   , the second embodiment of the safety handle device of the present disclosure is shown. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, and the main difference resides in the following. 
     The safety handle device in the second embodiment includes a handle tube unit  2 , two first joint members  3 , and two support tube units  5 . 
     The handle tube unit  2  includes a first tube member  21  and two end covers  23 . The first tube member  21  is formed with the tube channel  20  having two openings  201 , and two mounting holes  24 . 
     The two first joint members  3  are detachably disposed in the tube channel  20  of the handle tube unit  2 , and the two support tube units  5  are detachably joined to the first tube member  21  through the two first joint member  3 . This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment in that the detachable joining of the support tube units  5  and the handle tube unit  2 . The second embodiment provides a safety handle device for safety assistance in a narrow space. 
     In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects, and that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure. 
     While the disclosure has been described in connection with what are considered the exemplary embodiments, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.