Hand rail for stairs and inclined corridors
a technology for inclined corridors and stairs, applied in building types, constructions, building constructions, etc., can solve the problems of increasing difficulty in walking, weakening legs and legs, and increasing difficulty in moving about the house or building. achieve the effect of constant and firm grip
Inactive Publication Date: 2006-05-18
ROSENBAUM BYRON
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Benefits of technology
[0017] The present invention overcomes the limitations and disadvantages in the art by providing a wave-shaped handrail for stairways and inclined corridors that is ergonomically shaped to allow the user to maintain a constant and firm grip while being fixed at an optimal height to allow the user to fully support his or her self when necessary. A handrail according to the present invention includes an elongate wave-shaped railing anchored relative to the stairs by generally J-shaped brackets. The wave-shaped railing is configured with generally alternating horizontal and vertical portions that allow the user the most strength and support. Each bracket has a first end connected to the railing on the side thereof proximal the centerline of the stairs, and a second end thereof anchored to the wall or other supporting structure. The railing is preferably mounted such that each horizontal portion is approximately 5′-0″ above a corresponding tread of the stair.
[0019] Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved handrail that maximizes a person's ability to maintain his or her grip.
[0020] A further object of the present invention is to provide a wave-shaped handrail designed to permit a person to slide his or her hand along the railing without having to let go.
Problems solved by technology
Even if walking itself does not present severe difficulty, climbing and descending stairs can make movement about the house or building difficult if not impossible.
Many people, particularly the elderly, are afflicted with ailments that weaken their legs and the joints in their legs.
Arthritis and other illnesses slowly deteriorate muscles, bones, and joints, making walking increasingly difficult.
As a result, such people often experience difficulty in supporting their own weight, particularly when walking up and down stairs and sloped walkways.
The difficulty such people experience in walking up and down stairs limits their mobility in public buildings as well as in their home.
While the conventional fixed handrail provides the person with a rigid support during their entire trip up or down the stairs, it fails to provide adequate support.
More particularly, conventional handrails are limited in that they only allow the person to hold on thereto with one hand, as the staircase is often too wide to allow the person to simultaneously use handrails on both sides of the staircase.
In addition, conventional handrails are often placed relatively low, typically between 34″ and 38″ above the stairs, and thus are positioned poorly to provide support to a person who has lost his or her balance and is falling.
As a result of the limitations associated with conventional handrails, the prior art reveals a number of attempts directed to assisting people while climbing and descending stairs and inclined walkways.
The above referenced disclosures of the background art, however, fail to provide a simple and effective handrail system that provides optimal support for the user while ascending or descending stairs and inclined corridors.
Method used
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[0038] With reference now to the drawings FIGS. 1-4 depict an improved wave-shaped handrail according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 5-8 depict an alternate embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a person descending standard stairs, generally referenced as 1. Standard stairs 1 include a plurality of individual stair sections, each of which is formed by a generally vertical riser 2 and a generally horizontal tread 3. Conventional stairs are set according to a ratio of 4:3 (e.g. tread to riser). A conventional handrail, referenced as 4, is also shown. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a person ascending standard stairs 1.
[0039]FIGS. 1 and 2 further depict a preferred embodiment, namely a wave-shaped handrail, generally referenced as 10. Handrail 10 includes an elongate wave-shaped handrail 12 anchored in position relative to stairs 1 by generally J-shaped brackets 20. As seen in FIG. 3, a significant aspect of the present invention relates to th...
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A wave-shaped handrail for conventional and spiral stairways and inclined corridors that is ergonomically shaped to allow the user to maintain a constant and firm grip while being fixed at an optimal height to allow the user to fully support his or her self when necessary is disclosed. The handrail includes an elongate wave-shaped handrail anchored relative to the stairs by generally U-shaped brackets. The wave-shaped handrail is configured with generally alternating horizontal and vertical portions that allow the user the most strength and support. Alignment of the handrail such that horizontal rail sections are aligned with stair treads and vertical rail sections are aligned with stair risers provides tactile feedback to the user for identifying the beginning and ending of each stair. Each bracket has a first end connected to the railing on the side thereof proximal the centerline of the stairs to enable the user to ascend or descend the stairs while maintaining her grip, and a second end thereof anchored to the wall or other supporting structure. The railing is preferably mounted such that each horizontal portion is approximately 5′-0″ above a corresponding tread of the stair in typical installations.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10,991,117, filed Nov. 17, 2004.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] N / A COPYRIGHT NOTICE [0003] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights rights whatsoever. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] 1. Field of the Invention [0005] The present invention relates to handrails for stairs, and more particularly, to a generally wave-shaped handrail design for stairs and sloped corridors that provides the user with structure positioned and shaped for maximum gripping potential thereby preventing fall-related accident and injury, while further...
Claims
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Login to View More IPC IPC(8): E04H17/14
CPCE04F11/1863
InventorROSENBAUM, BYRON
OwnerROSENBAUM BYRON