Undulating Grab Bar Design to Prevent Arm Rotation and Slippage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard-compliant linear grab bars are unsuitable for users with disabilities or the elderly, as they provide inadequate support and can lead to slippage and falls due to their narrow contact area and design limitations, particularly during transfers in non-perpendicular positions.
Innovation Solution
A grab bar with an undulating grab portion featuring outwardly and inwardly angled sections connected by a plateau section, providing a wider resting contact area and avoiding pinch points, while maintaining a constant diameter and adhering to industry standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standard-compliant linear grab bar is used, then it meets industry standards and is easy to manufacture, but it provides inadequate support and narrow contact area leading to slippage and falls
Solution Approach 1:
The grab bar is designed with a curved profile featuring a convex outer surface that contacts the user's forearm. This curvature creates a wider contact area compared to a linear bar, distributing weight more effectively and preventing slippage during transfers while maintaining standard compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The grab bar incorporates a plateau section with a specific width (e.g., 2 inches) that provides enhanced contact area at the critical support zone, while other portions of the bar maintain standard dimensions. This localized enhancement improves safety without compromising overall manufacturability or standard compliance.
2Ease of manufacture
If a linear grab bar design is used, then it is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, but it allows arm rotation and slippage during non-perpendicular transfers
Solution Approach 1:
The curved profile with convex outer surface allows the grab bar to adapt to various transfer positions (perpendicular, parallel, skewed) by providing a consistent contact surface that prevents arm rotation. The curvature geometry is designed to maintain effectiveness across different user positions and transfer angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The grab bar features an asymmetric cross-section with a convex outer surface oriented to face typical user approaches, creating optimal contact geometry for most transfer scenarios while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through consistent profiling along the bar length.
3Reliability
If the grab bar contact area is widened to prevent slippage, then support stability improves, but the bar may create pinch points and entanglement hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The convex curved surface provides widened contact area that distributes pressure evenly, preventing slippage without creating sharp edges or pinch points. The smooth continuous curvature eliminates hazardous corners while maintaining effective forearm contact throughout the support zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The plateau section provides localized width enhancement (e.g., 2 inches) specifically where forearm contact occurs, while the bar transitions to narrower dimensions at mounting points and ends, reducing entanglement risk and pinch point potential in non-contact zones.
Data Source
AI summary
A grab bar is disclosed. The grab bar includes an undulating grab portion. The undulating grab portion includes an outwardly angled section and an inwardly angled section that are connected by one or more parallel sections (i.e., one or more “plateau sections”). At one end, the grab portion includes a first mounting portion that can be connected (e.g., mounted) to a fixed surface. At its other end, the grab portion includes a second mounting portion that can be connected (e.g., mounted) to the fixed surface or any other fixed surface. The plateau section may include one or more inwardly extending subportions.