Abstract:
A handheld gripping device provides a user with a point of stability in maneuvering in various indoor situations. In one aspect, the device includes a handle portion, a base from which the handle portion extends, one or more suction elements positioned relative to the base, and a cam driven mechanism coupled with each suction element and with the base. The cam driven mechanism selectively draws the respective suction element towards and away from the base.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to commonly owned U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/897,516, filed Jan. 25, 2007, incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    None. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    There has been a need to provide persons with increased stability in performing certain indoor activities, such as stepping into and out of a bathtub or shower unit, or otherwise moving between a seated and a standing position. This is of particular importance in bathrooms where flooring oftentimes presents a smooth surface that becomes quite slippery when wet. 
         [0004]    One well known solution is to provide a handle-type device, typically secured to a wall with screws or other fasteners. Handles of these types have drawbacks. For instance, not all surfaces where it is desired to place the handle are well adapted to receive fasteners, such as the side ledge of a bathtub. Cast iron, fiberglass, and certain other materials frequently utilized in bathtub construction oftentimes do not receive fasteners well. In some cases, it can be difficult to drill a hole through the material where the fastener is to extend, or otherwise the material is sufficiently brittle that the integrity of the hole through which the fastener extends significantly degrades over time. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Various embodiments of a repositionable, handheld gripping device disclosed herein provides a user with a point of stability in maneuvering in various indoor situations. 
         [0006]    In one aspect, a repositionable, handheld gripping device includes a handle portion, a base from which the handle portion extends, one or more suction elements positioned relative to the base, and a cam driven mechanism coupled with each suction element and with the base. The cam driven mechanism selectively draws the respective suction element towards and away from the base. 
         [0007]    In another aspect, a repositionable, handheld gripping device includes a handle portion, a pair of downwardly oriented end supports disposed at opposite sides of the handle, a pair of suction elements, and a pair of cam driven mechanisms. Each cam driven mechanism is coupled with one of the end supports and connected to one of the suction elements, such that movement of the respective cam driven mechanism selectively draws the respective suction element towards and away from one of the end supports. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a repositionable, handheld gripping device in the disengaged position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a repositionable, handheld gripping device in the engaged position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective sectional view of gripping device of  FIG. 1A , taken in the longitudinal direction, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2B  is a perspective sectional view of gripping device of  FIG. 1B , taken in the longitudinal direction, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3A  is an enlarged elevational view of one of the end supports of the gripping device of  FIG. 2A , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 3B  is an enlarged elevational view of one of the end supports of the gripping device of  FIG. 2B , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    A repositionable, handheld gripping device provides a user with a point of stability in maneuvering in various indoor situations. The device employs one or more suction elements that are freely engaged and disengaged by a respective levered cam element, enabling easy repositioning of the gripping device to a desired location. For instance, a user may desire to have the gripping device placed on the horizontal ledge of a bathtub when stepping into and out of the bathtub, so that their hand on the device provides a contact point of stabilization in addition to their feet. As another example, the gripping device could be placed upon smooth, hard vertical surface adjacent to a bathtub or within or adjacent to a shower unit, such as a tile or fiberglass wall. In such a case, the gripping device again enables the user&#39;s gripping hand to serve as an additional contact point of stabilization. The gripping device is particularly well suited for use as a lateral stabilization point, as opposed to acting as a true pull or lift handle where the user&#39;s hand would place a significant portion of the user&#39;s weight on the handle. In any case, the strength of the bond between the device of the present invention and the surface upon which it is placed relates to the adhesion vacuum between the one or more suction elements and the surface being engaged. 
         [0016]    Turning to  FIGS. 1A-3B , one embodiment of the handheld gripping device  100  is depicted. The gripping device  100  has a generally arcuately shaped central handle portion  102  and a set of end mounted gripping mechanisms  104 . The central handle portion  102  is generally formed out of a molded plastic frame presenting a hollow design strengthened by a series of parallel ribs  106 , as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . The molded plastic frame extends longitudinally from the central handle portion  102  to form opposed cylindrical and downwardly oriented end supports  108  that coordinate to serve as a base for the device  100 . Each end support  108  guides the motion of the end mounted gripping mechanisms  104  for engagement and disengagement with a surface contacted by the gripping mechanisms  104 . Specifically, each end support  108  has an open end portion  110 , an upper portion  112 , and a cylindrical body wall  114  extending between the open end portion  110  and the upper portion  112 , as seen in  FIGS. 2A-3B . The open end portion  110  serves to contact an individual suction cup  116  of one of the gripping mechanisms  104  when the gripping device  100  is moved to the engaged position, to aid in maintaining the vacuum between the suction cup  116  and the engaged surface. An interior region  118  of the end support  108  is defined by the cylindrical body wall  114 , while the upper portion  112  is formed with a recessed area  120  and a passageway  122  extending between the end support interior region  118  and the recessed area  120 . 
         [0017]    The end mounted gripping mechanisms  104  each include a cam body  124 , a lever  126  extending from the cam body  124 , as well as a driving rod  128  pinned on one end with the cam body  124  and connected with the suction cup  116  on an opposite end. In this arrangement, the driving rod  128  extends through the interior region  118  of the end support  108  and through the passageway  122 , to locate the cam body  124  within the recessed area  120 . Additionally, a compression spring  130  is seated around the driving rod  128  within the end support interior region  118 . The compression spring  130  contacts a ceiling  132  of the end support interior region  118  on one axial end, and the suction cup  116  on the opposed axial end of the spring  130 , as best seen in  FIG. 3A . 
         [0018]    In this disengaged position of the gripping device  100 , shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  2 A and  3 A, the lever  126  extends upwardly out of the recessed area  120  of the end support  108  while a first surface  133  of the cam body  124  contacts a floor  134  of the recessed area  120 . Additionally, the compression spring  130  urges the corresponding end support  108  upwardly and away from the suction cup  116 . Upon the user pressing the gripping device  100  against a surface, so that the suction cups  116  adhere to the surface by trapping air between the bottom of the cups  116  and the respective surface, the user may “lock” or fully engage the device  100  with the surface, as will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 1B ,  2 B and  3 B. 
         [0019]    Turning now to  FIGS. 1B ,  2 B and  3 B, the user can then rotate each cam body  124  by moving the levers  126  downwardly into the recessed areas  120 . The cam body  124  rotates so that a second surface  136  of the body  124  comes into contact with the recessed area floor  134 , thereby causing the driving rod  128  to slide upwardly through the passageway  122  and the spring  130  to move into greater axial compression. As a result of this movement, the open end portion  110  of the end support  108  moves downwardly into contact with the suction cup  116  near its perimeter, while the driving rod  128  pulls upwardly on a central portion of the cup  116 . Because of the vacuum created beneath each suction cup  116  (i.e., due to the trapped air between the cup  116  and the engaged surface), the driving rod  128  is inhibited from pulling the cup  116  out of engagement with the surface. Additionally, the contact provided by the open end portion  110  of the end support  108  inhibits the suction cup  116  peeling away from the engaged surface around the perimeter edge of the respective cup  116 . To disengage the gripping device  100 , the user simply rotates the cam bodies  124  in the opposite direction back to the disengaged position shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  2 A and  3 A, and can peel away the suctions cups  116  from the engaged surface around the perimeter edges of the cups  116 . 
         [0020]    Therefore, embodiments of the handheld gripping device of the present invention enable a user to easily reposition a point of stability as need when maneuvering in various indoor situations. Since certain changes may be made in the above invention without departing from the scope hereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.