The present disclosure relates generally to mobility assistance devices. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to bathtub support poles to provide support to a user of a bathtub.
The embodiments disclosed herein will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings depict only typical embodiments, which embodiments will be described with additional specificity and detail in connection with the drawings in which:
It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of various embodiments, as represented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, but is merely representative of various embodiments While the various aspects of the embodiments are presented in drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated.
The phrase “coupled to” is broad enough to refer to any suitable coupling or other form of interaction between two or more entities, including mechanical. Two components may be coupled to each other even though they are not in direct contact with each other.
A user may grasp various parts of the bathtub support pole 100, such as one or more handles 106 or the pole itself in order to stabilize themselves while entering/exiting the bathtub as well as to support themselves while standing in or about the bathtub. In the illustrated embodiment of
The bathtub support pole 100 may be configured to be secured between a ceiling 30 and a wall 12 of the bathtub 10, thus providing a more compact profile without the need to occupy floor space. Furthermore, by mounting to a rim 14 of the wall 12 of the bathtub 10, the bathtub support pole 100 may offer additional stability and protection from inadvertent rotation of the bathtub support pole 100.
The support member 102 may include a first section 112 and a second section 114. The height adjustment component 104 may be located between the first section 112 and the second section 114 of the support member 102. In some embodiments, one or both of the first section 112 and 114 may be hollow, such that one section of the first and second sections 112 or 114 may be positionable within the other section of the first and second sections 114 or 112, thus allowing for the length of the support member to be adjustable (e.g., via a portion of one of the first or second sections 112, 114 sliding within the other section to lengthen or shorten the support member to a desired height). In some embodiments, the height adjustment component 104 may provide a constricting force to fixate a relative position between the first section 112 and the second section 114. In some embodiments, the height adjustment component 104 can exert a force along a longitudinal axis along a length of the support member 102 to secure the support member 102 between the ceiling and the wall of the bathtub. For example, the height adjustment component 104 can include one or more spring or elastic mechanisms to force the first section 112 towards the ceiling and the section towards the wall of the bathtub. The height adjustment component 104 can also be referred to as a height adjustment lock as it can lock the first and second sections 112, 114 at a desired length with respect to one another to hold a position and/or an applied force from the support member against the ceiling and/or bathtub. In some embodiments, the height adjustment component 104 may include a pin or other fastener to lock the relative position between the first section 112 and the second section 114.
The support member 102 has a first end 102a and a second end 102b. The first end 102a may be an end of the first section 112 coupled to the ceiling mounting mechanism 110; the second end 102b may be an end of the second section 114 coupled to the bathtub mounting mechanism 108. The height adjustment component 104 can hold an applied force, compress, or otherwise fix the first end 102a against the ceiling and the second end 102b against the wall of the bathtub.
The handle 106 is positionable along the support member 102 between the ceiling and the wall of the bathtub. In some embodiments, the handle 106 is fixed in place to either the first section 112 or the second section 114 of the support member 102. The handle 106 may be fixed with one or more fastener(s) 116, such as various fastening hardware (including torsion- or spring-based fasteners), adhesive, welding, molding, etc. In other embodiments, the handle 106 may be moveable along a length of the support member 102. The handle 106 may be configured to slide along the length of the support member 102 and be subsequently secured at a position along the length by fastening or tensioning mechanisms (such as constrictors, bands, screws, etc.). Further, the handle 106 may be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the support member 102. For example, the user may rotate the handle 106 to extend from the support member 102 in a direction substantially parallel to the wall of the bathtub, a direction substantially orthogonal to the wall of the bathtub, or at an angle between parallel and orthogonal. In other embodiments, the handle 106 may extend from the support member 102 in multiple directions. For example, a section of the handle 106 may extend in a first direction from the support member 102, and one or more other sections of the support member 102 may extend in one or more other directions from the support member 102.
In some embodiments, the handle 106 may be a curved handle which includes one or more curved portions to operate as hand grips. The handle 106 may provide a structure which users can grasp to pull themselves to or hold themselves in a standing position.
The ceiling mounting mechanism 110 couples the first end 102a of the support member 102 to the ceiling. In some embodiments, the ceiling mounting mechanism 110 includes at least one fastening device (not shown), such as a nail, screw, etc., located at points 120 to secure the ceiling mounting mechanism 110 to the ceiling. The ceiling mounting mechanism 110 can include one or more extension arms that extend away from the support member 102. The one or more extension arms can also extend substantially perpendicular to the support member 102 and can provide an increased surface area at which the ceiling mounting mechanism 110 can abut and couple to the ceiling. The ceiling mounting mechanism 110 may also include pads 118 to be coupled between the ceiling and the ceiling mounting mechanism 110. The pads 118 may be rubber and/or textured in order to increase a coefficient of friction between the ceiling mounting mechanism 110 and the ceiling, so as to minimize the risk of the ceiling mounting mechanism 110 sliding with respect to the ceiling.
The second end 102b of the support member 102 encompasses a portion of a rim of the bathtub and opposing sides of the wall of the bathtub. Specifically, the bathtub mounting mechanism 108 fixes the second end 102b of the support member 102 to the wall of the bathtub, in part by providing a compressive force to clamp opposing sides of the wall of the bathtub.
The bathtub mounting mechanism 600 can fix the second end 102b of the support member 102 to the wall of the bathtub. The bathtub mounting mechanism 600 includes a first wall portion 624, a second wall portion 626, and a connector 628. The connector 628 couples the first wall portion 624 to the second wall portion 626. In particular, the connector 628 provides a compressive force to bring the first wall portion 624 toward the second wall portion 626 to clamp against opposing sides of the wall of the bathtub. The bathtub mounting mechanism 600 further includes a rim portion 630 that is coupled to the first wall portion 624 and is configured to engage the rim of the bathtub. In other words, the first wall portion 624, the second wall portion 626, and the rim portion 630 encompasses a portion of a rim of the bathtub and opposing sides of the wall of the bathtub.
In some embodiments, the rim portion 630 and the first wall portion 624 may be integral. In some embodiments, one or more of the first wall portion 624, the second wall portion 626, and the rim portion 630 may include padding 618 to increase a frictional coefficient between each of the first wall portion 624, the second wall portion 626, the rim portion 630 and the opposing sides and rim of the wall of the bathtub.
The bathtub mounting mechanism 600 includes a rotatable joint 632 which allows an angle of the second wall portion 626 relative to the first wall portion 624 to be changed. In other words, the rotatable joint allows the relative angle between the second wall portion 626 and the first wall portion 624 to be changed, which may allow for the bathtub mounting mechanism 600 to accommodate and be mountable to a wider variety of bathtub wall shapes and slopes (e.g., those which may be tapered, uneven, or the like). The connector 628 includes a first section 628a and a second section 628b which are mutually perpendicular. The second wall portion 626 is coupled to the second section 628b of the connector 628 by the rotatable joint 632.
As briefly described above, the connector 628 provides a compressive force configured to bring the first wall portion 624 toward the second wall portion 626 to clamp opposing sides of the wall of the bathtub in order to secure the bathtub mounting mechanism 600 to the rim of the bathtub. More specifically, the connector 628 includes a screw 634 to generate the compressive force to bring the first wall portion 624 toward the second wall portion 626. In some embodiments, the screw 634 may instead be another type of tensioning mechanism, such as a spring or clamp.
The bathtub mounting mechanism 600 may include a curved portion 636. The first wall portion 624 is integral to and between the curved portion 636 and the rim portion 630.
The bathtub mounting mechanism 600 includes a protrusion 638 that projects upward from the connector 628. For example, the protrusion 638 may project from an upper surface of the connector 628 into the second end of the support member 102. The protrusion 638 helps secure the bathtub mounting mechanism 600 to the second end 102b of the support member 102. For example, when the bathtub support pole 100 is secured to the ceiling and the wall of the bathtub, the protrusion 638 prevents the second end 102b of the support member 102 from disconnecting from the bathtub mounting mechanism 600 when a shear force is applied to the support member 102 by a user when the user pushes on the support member 102 from the side. In other words, the protrusion 638 prevents the second end 102b of the support member 102 from sliding off of the bathtub mounting mechanism 600 when a shear force is applied to the support member 102. A lateral cross section of the protrusion 638 may be nonsymmetrical (e.g., it may be elliptical, rectangular, or other irregular shape). In some embodiments where the protrusion 638 has a nonsymmetrical shape, the protrusion may also prevent rotation of the support member 102 relative to the bathtub mounting mechanism 600. Other methods of coupling the bathtub mounting mechanism 600 to the support member 102 are also contemplated.
The connector 628 of the bathtub mounting mechanism 600 may further include one or more reinforcing members to reinforce the connector 628. For example, the connector 628 may include a first bracket 640 with an aperture (not shown in
The clamping mechanism 700 includes a first wall portion 724, a second wall portion 726, a rim portion 730, and a connector 728. The connector 728 further includes reinforcing members such as a first bracket 740 and a second bracket 742. In some embodiments, the first bracket 740 is fixed (e.g., welded) to the support member 102 and the second bracket 742 is fixed (e.g., welded) to the rim portion 730 and a curved portion 736. The first bracket 740 has an aperture 741 for receiving a protrusion 738 on the second bracket 742. The protrusion 738 projects upward from an upper surface of the second bracket 740. The first bracket 740 partially encompasses the second bracket 742 at the protrusion 738 and the second end 102b of the support member 102 (not illustrated in
The protrusion 738 may be receivable by the second end 102b (see
As discussed above, the second bracket 742 may partially encompass the connector 728.
The connector 728 is configured to translate to enable the second wall portion 726 to move toward the first wall portion 724 to apply a compressive force to the wall 12 of the bathtub 10 with the rim portion 730 engaging the rim 14 of the bathtub 10. The connector 728 comprises a threaded nut 729 (see also
The screw 734 may include a handle 734a and a threaded rod 734b. The handle 734a may be turned by the user to adjust the compressive force between the first wall portion 724 and the second wall portion 726, e.g., when installing, moving, or removing the clamping mechanism 700 along the wall of the bathtub. For example, as the screw 734 is rotated, the connector 728 is translated in one of two opposite directions as shown by arrow 727. In a first direction, the second wall portion 726 moves toward the first wall portion 724 and in a second direction, the second wall portion 726 moves away from the first wall portion 724.
While specific embodiments of bathtub support poles have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the disclosure provided is not limited to the precise configuration and components disclosed. Various modifications, changes, and variations apparent to those of skill in the art may be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and systems disclosed, with the aid of the present disclosure.
References to approximations are made throughout this specification, such as by use of the term “substantially.” For each such reference, it is to be understood that, in some embodiments, the value, feature, or characteristic may be specified without approximation. For example, where qualifiers such as “about” and “substantially” are used, these terms include within their scope the qualified words in the absence of their qualifiers. For example, where the term “substantially parallel” is recited with respect to a feature, it is understood that in further embodiments, the feature can have a precisely parallel configuration.
Similarly, in the above description of embodiments, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require more features than those expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment.
The claims following this written disclosure are hereby expressly incorporated into the present written disclosure, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. This disclosure includes all permutations of the independent claims with their dependent claims. Moreover, additional embodiments capable of derivation from the independent and dependent claims that follow are also expressly incorporated into the present written description.
Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the invention to its fullest extent. The claims and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and exemplary, and not a limitation of the scope of the present disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, with the aid of the present disclosure, that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure herein. In other words, various modifications and improvements of the embodiments specifically disclosed in the description above are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, the order of the steps or actions of the methods disclosed herein may be changed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is required for proper operation of the embodiment, the order or use of specific steps or actions may be modified. The scope of the invention is therefore defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/491,912, filed on Mar. 23, 2023 and titled “BATHTUB SUPPORT POLE,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63491912 | Mar 2023 | US |