US20030135920A1

US20030135920A1 - Bathtub hand rest

Info

Publication number: US20030135920A1
Application number: US10/052,514
Authority: US
Inventors: Shih-Kuo Chang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-23
Filing date: 2002-01-23
Publication date: 2003-07-24

Abstract

An improved structure for a bathtub hand rest comprises a pair of clamps, a hand rest and fasteners. Each of the clamps has two plates with their horizontal sections overlapped to each other and a positioning bolt laterally penetrating vertical sections extending from the two overlapped sections. The fastener is locked to the inner wall of each end of the hand rest with inner threads. The periphery of the fastener is provided with outer threads and a fastening hole in the center of the fastener. The clamps are held against the bathtub, and the fasteners are screwed to both ends of the hand rest. Positioning bolts penetrate through the clamps and locked to the fastening holes in the fasteners for the hand rest to be secured to the clamps.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bathtub hand rest, and more particularly to one with excellent strength and well secured to the bathtub.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, a hand rest generally available in the market essentially comprises two sets of clamps (A) and fasteners (B) and a hand rest (C). The hand rest (C) is a hollow U-shaped tube. Each of the clamps (A) comprises two L-shaped plates (A 1, A2) with their lateral sections overlapped to each other. A positioning bolt (D) to laterally pass through the plates (A1, A2) and secured to a cap (D1) to be fastened to the edge of a bathtub (E). The fastener (B) each built in the end of the hand rest (C) is provided with a threaded section (B1) both ends respectively riveted to a stopper (B2). Multiples of gaps (B21) are provided on the periphery of each of the two stoppers (B2). Upon assembling as illustrated in FIG. 5, the fastener (B) is first pressed into the end of the hand rest (C). As the outer diameter of the stopper (B2) is slightly greater than the inner diameter of the hand rest (C), the stopper (B2) can be firmly secured inside the hand rest (C). Another positioning bolt (F) penetrating through the bottoms of the L-shaped plates (A1, A2) of the clamp (A) and locked to the threaded section (B1) of the fastener (B) to merely indirectly lock the hand rest (C) to the clamp (A).

However, the prior art has the following defectives:

1. A special mechanical tool must be used to force the fasteners into the hand rest making the assembly awkward and the appearance of the hand rest is easily damaged.

2. The fastener is essentially pushed against to the inner wall of the hand rest by packing. That is, both of the hand rest and the fastener are held in position by pressing against each other, failing a secured attachment. Frequently, when the hand rest is held at inclination, the hand rest could be just be pulled off leaving the fastener and the position bolt on the clamp. Such poor structural strength is very dangerous to a user of the bathtub.

3. The central line of the stopper each riveted to both ends of the fastener is difficult to be aligned to the center of the body of the fastener. As a result, the fastener gets misplaced when it is pressed into the hand rest, thus the threaded section inside the fastener is misplaced to serious affect the subsequent assembly works.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved ark structure of a hand rest for a bathtub that is provided with high structural strength. To achieve the purpose, the present invention essentially comprises a pair of clamps, a hand rest and fasteners. Wherein, Each of the clamps comprises two L-shaped plates having their horizontal sections overlapped to each other, a positioning bolt laterally penetrating the plates curved from the two overlapped plates and a slip-proof pad is each adhered onto the inner walls of the two plates.

The inner wall to both ends of the hand rest is threaded to lock up the fastener. Outer threads are provided on the outer periphery of the fastener and a hole for fastening is provided at the center so that each clamp holds with its plates against the periphery of the bathtub. Then the fastener is engaged to the end of the rest hand, and another bolt penetrates through the bottom of the clamp through the hand rest and fastened in the fastening hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention; [0011]
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an assembly of the present invention; [0012]
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a prior art in use; [0013]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the structure of the prior art; and [0014]
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an assembly of the prior art. [0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention essentially comprises a pair of clamps ([0016] 1), a hand rest (2) and fasteners (3). Each of the clamps (1) comprises two L-shaped plates (11, 12) with their horizontal sections overlapped to each other. Both of the horizontal and vertical ends of the plate (11) are respectively provided with a hole (111, 112) while a slot (121) is provided on the horizontal section of the other plate (12). The front end of the horizontal section of the plate (12) extends downward and curves to form a fastening plate (122) provided a hole (123) on its vertical side. A positioning bolt (13) is used to laterally penetrate through the hole (112) and the hole (123), and then is locked by a nut (131) to connect both plates (11, 12). A slip-proof pad (14) is respectively attached to the inner sides of both plates (11, 12) and to the bottom of the fastening plate (122).
The hand rest ([0017] 2) has its both ends provided with inner threads (21) to the inner wall.
Each of the fasteners ([0018] 3) is a cylindrical member compromising the inner periphery of the hand rest (2). The outer periphery of the fastener (3) is provided with outer threads (31), a fastening hole (32) with inner threads penetrates through in the center of the fastener (3) and multiples of ribs (33) are provided to reinforce the fastening hole (32).
Now referring to FIG. 2, the two plates ([0019] 11, 12) from each set of two clamps (1) hold against at where appropriately on the periphery of a bathtub (4) depending on the lateral length of the hand rest (2). The positioning bolt (13) is locked to the plates (11, 12) so that the clamp (1) is firmly adhered to the bathtub (4) with the slip-proof pads (14) respectively attached to both inner sides of the plates (11, 12) and to the bottom of the fastening plate (122). The outer threads (31) of the fasteners (3) are engaged with the inner threads (21) in both ends of the hand rest (2). Another bolt (15) penetrates vertically from the bottom of the clamp (1) in the direction relatively to the hand rest (2) to expose from the slot (121) and the hole (111) of the clamp (1) and is secured in the fastening hole (32) of the fastener (3). Therefore, the bolt (15) is firmly fastened to both ends of the hand rest (2) for the hand rest (2) to be secured to the clamp (1) for use with the bathtub (4).
In practice, the hand rest ([0020] 2) and the fastener (3) are completely screwed to each other, while the fastener (3) and the positioning bolt (15) are further screwed to each other and secured onto the clamp (1) to provide a much reliable structural strength than that achieved by packing as seen in the prior art. Furthermore, the present invention is easier to be assembled on site.
As disclosed, the present invention by offering a bathtub hand rest with compact and reliable structure to avoid accidental breakage. [0021]

Claims

I claim,

1. An improved structure for a bathtub hand rest including a pair of clamps, a hand rest and fasteners, wherein, each of said clamps comprising two plates having their horizontal sections overlapped to each other, and a positioning bolt laterally penetrating vertical sections extending from the two overlapped sections characterized by that:

an inner wall of each end of said hand rest being provided with inner threads to lock said fastener; outer periphery of said fastener being provided with outer threads and a fastening hole penetrating through the center of said fastener; said clamps being held against at where appropriately on the periphery of the bathtub; said fasteners being screwed to both ends of said hand rest; and positioning bolts penetrating through said clamps and being locked to said fastening holes of said fasteners.