Staircase railing

Abstract

A railing system for assisting a user in ascending and descending a staircase having a plurality of steps. The railing system includes an elongated upper rail having opposite first and second ends and a cross sectional diameter. The upper rail having a top portion with a cross-sectional profile substantially in the form of a parabolic arch. An elongated lower rail having opposite first and second ends, is mounted parallel to and below the upper rail at a height of about 36 inches above the steps of the staircase. A mounting bracket is included for mounting the upper and lower rails above the steps in a parallel fashion. The mounting bracket positions the top portion of the upper rail mounted at a heigh above the steps of between about 42 to about 46 inches. The upper rail may include a bottom portion opposite the top portion, with a pair of elongated handles formed on the bottom portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/722,448 which was filed on Nov. 27, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates generally to improved staircase railings which are mounted adjacent staircases and are used by people to assist them in ascending and descending the staircase.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Elderly people often have difficulty in ascending and descending stairs. As people age, there is usually a gradual loss of physical functioning. Muscular strength decreases, bones become more brittle, motor response time slows and major senses like vision dull. This process is heightened in those over the age of 75. The decline in most of these areas contributes to lessened physical mobility and corresponding difficulty in ascending and descending stairs. Mobility difficulties also stem from specific diseases, not only from the kind of loss associated with wear and tear of aging. Unfortunately, the elderly suffer from an increased incidence of debilitating diseases such as arthritis, heart conditions, and visual impairment.

[0004] The ailments from which the elderly suffer not only contribute to mobility difficulties, they also render their effects much more serious. Conditions like osteoporosis can lead to hip fractures from which the elderly may be too frail to recover. Therefore, even a relatively mild fall can prove serious. As a result, the elderly have the highest mortality and experience the greatest degree of disability and dysfunction from falls. Falls are the leading cause of accidental death in persons over 65. In addition to physical consequences, falls also have a psychological impact. Many who have fallen develop “post fall syndrome”. Their fear of falling results in a loss of confidence, self-esteem and imposes further restrictions on mobility. Indeed, 40% of older people have a fear of falling and as many as 20% avoid activities such as shopping and cleaning for fear of falling.

[0005] Whether descending or ascending stairs, a great deal of pressure is applied to the lower limbs and to knee joints in particular. Old age and diseases common to the elderly often lead to weakened legs and painful, stiff joints. Therefore, the elderly often have difficulty meeting the physical requirements of using stairs.

[0006] Existing handrails offer some support in the use of stairs and help with balance. However, these require strength in the hands and wrists to firmly grasp the handrail, which the elderly generally lack. Also, handrails do not offer enough support to enable weight transfer from the lower limbs. An alternative approach is to use an electric elevating device to ascend and descend stairs. A wide variety of electric elevating devices are now available. However, these devices tend to be too expensive for the elderly, many of whom are on fixed pension incomes. These device are also expensive to install and require qualified trades people to do the work. Moreover, they are generally most suitable for the seriously disabled, those with little or no mobility. There is a real and existing need for an improved staircase railing which overcomes the inadequacies of existing staircase railings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the present invention by providing a railing system for assisting a user in ascending and descending a staircase having a plurality of steps wherein the user can transfer at least a portion of the user's weight to the railing system. The railing system comprising includes an elongated upper rail having opposite first and second ends and a cross sectional diameter, the upper rail having a top portion. The system further includes an elongated lower rail having opposite first and second ends. Both upper and lower rails are mounted in parallel above the staircase by a mounting bracket. The top portion of the upper rail is mounted at a heigh above the steps of between about 42 to about 46 inches, and the lower rail mounted at a height above the steps of about 36 inches.

[0008] With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1. is a perspective view of a staircase railing system made in accordance with the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 2. is a front view of a user descending a staircase using a staircase railing system made in accordance with the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 3. is a cross sectional view of the staircase railing system shown in FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 4a. is a cross sectional view of the upper rail of the staircase railing system shown in FIG. 3.

[0013] FIG. 4b. is a cross sectional view of a parabolic arch.

[0014] FIG. 4c. is a cross sectional view of an elliptical arch.

[0015] FIG. 4d. is a cross sectional view of a semi-circular arch.

[0016] FIG. 4e. is a cross sectional view of a semi-circular arch mounted to the top of a trapezoid.

[0017] FIG. 5. is a front view of a user descending a staircase using a standard prior art hand rail.

[0018] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] In order to explain the function of the present invention, a brief analysis of traditional staircase rails will first be discussed. As shown in FIG. 5, prior staircase rails, shown generally as 10, consisted of an elongated rail 12 which was mounted to a wall 14 adjacent staircase 16. Staircase 16 generally consisted of a series of individual steps 18 being separated by flights 20. A user 22 who wishes to descend the stairs would grasp rail 12 using his hand 24 for support. As user 22 descends staircase 16, holding unto rail 12 provides the user with a measure of assistance. User 22 can shift a portion of his or her weight from their legs 26 to their arm 30. Unfortunately, if user 22 is elderly, he or she may not have sufficient strength in the wrists to support a significant amount of weight through the wrists. Furthermore, since hand 24 must firmly grasp rail 12 in order for user 22 to maintain their balance, a fall is more likely to occur if the user's grip fails and he or she accidentally let's go of the rail. Again, this is particularly a problem in elderly people, since they have less strength in their hands and cannot apply as much gripping force to handrail 12.

[0020] Referring now to FIG. 2, the present invention shown generally as item 32, overcomes the failings of the prior art by allowing user 22 to shift a significant amount of his or her weight to upper rail 34 by leaning against the upper rail. The railing system of the present invention consists of an upper rail 34 which is shaped and dimensioned to fit comfortably between arm 30 and chest 36. Upper rail 34 is further shaped and dimensioned to permit the user to lean against the upper rail such that the upper rail supports a portion of user 22's weight by bearing against armpit 38. Upper rail 34 is preferably mounted above staircase 16 at a position roughly equivalent to user 22's chest 36 (i.e. chest level). Furthermore, upper rail 34 is positioned far enough away from wall 14 so that user 22 can insert arm 30 between upper rail 34 and wall 14. Since rail 34 is positioned between user 22's arm 30 and chest 36, and since arm 30 is positioned between rail 34 and wall 14, even if the user were to slip, the rail would provide sufficient support to help prevent a fall.

[0021] The method of employing the present rail system to ascend or descend stairs is depicted in FIG. 2. The user first places arm 30 between upper rail 34 and wall 14. The user then leans against upper rail 34 such that armpit 38 bears against apex 74 and chest 36 bears against wall 74 of upper rail 34. The user then transfers a portion of his or her weight onto upper rail 34 in order to support themselves. The user then uses his or her legs 23 to ascend or descend the stairs.

[0022] Referring now to FIGS. 1, the rail system made in accordance with the present invention includes upper rail 34, lower rail 40, upper rail mounting bracket 42 and lower rail mounting bracket 44. Bracket 44 consists of a web portion 52, a flat portion 54 mounted transversely to the web portion and an arm portion 56 mounted to the web portion. Lower rail 40 is mounted to the end of arm portion 56 by bracket 58. Flat portion 54 is provided with apertures 60 to permit the flat portion to be firmly secured to wall 14 by means of mounting screws (not shown). Web 44 is provided with a plurality of apertures 62. Bracket 42 consists of a web portion 64 and an arm portion 66. As best seen in FIG. 3, web portion 64 of bracket 42 has a plurality of apertures 68 which align with apertures 62 of web portion 52 of bracket 44. Bracket 42 may be rigidly mounted to web portion 52 of bracket 44 by means of a mounting bolts (not shown) passed through apertures 68 and 62. Web portion 52 has a series of apertures 62, permitting the height of top rail 34 relative to bottom rail 40 to be adjusted simply by mounting bracket 42 higher or lower on web portion 52.

[0023] Continuing with FIG. 3, upper rail 34 has a roughly triangular profile with an arched top portion 46, a first elongated lobe 48 and a second elongated lobe 50. Top portion 46 has an apex 70. Brackets 42 and 44 hold lower rail 40 and upper rail 34 above step 18 and away from wall 14. Like most standard hand rails, lower rail 40 is mounted above step 18 so that an average sized adult can easily grasp the lower rail with their hands; therefore, bracket 44 is mounted to the wall such that lower rail 40 is mounted approximately 36 inches from step 18. Lower rail 40 preferably has a circular cross sectional profile with a diameter selected to fit comfortably in an adults hand. Preferably, the diameter of lower rail 40 is approximately 2½ inches. By contrast, upper rail 34 is positioned substantially higher than rail 40, such that apex 70 of the upper rail is approximately between 42″ and 46″ inches above step 18, corresponding to the height of an average user's chest (i.e. chest height).

[0024] Upper rail 34 has projections 48 and 50 extending along the length of the rail. Projections 48 and 50 are essentially bulbous projections extending from the bottom of rail 34 and are formed as handles which are dimensioned to fit comfortably in a user's hand. Projections 48 and 50 preferably have a diameter of approximately 1 inch. The width of rail 34 measured between projections 48 and 50 is selected to permit the rail to fit comfortably between the user's chest and arm (not shown). Preferably, the width of rail 34 between projections 48 and 50 is between 4 and 6 inches. The height of rail 34 measured between apex 70 and projections 48 and 50 is selected such that the user can comfortably grip the projections with the hands while apex 70 is positioned against the user's armpit (not shown). Preferably, the height of rail 34 measured between apex 70 and projections 48 and 50 is approximately 4 inches.

[0025] As mentioned above, mounting bracket 42 mounts upper rail 34 well above lower rail 40. The dimensions of bracket 42 is selected such that projections 48 and 50 are positioned at least 3 inches above lower rail 40. Since lower rail 40 is mounted at least 36 inches above step 18, projections 48 and 50 are positioned at least 39 inches above step 18. The separation between lower rail 40 and projections 48 and 50 is important. If the separation between the bottom of upper rail 34 and lower rail 40 is less than 3 inches, then it will be difficult for a user to insert a hand between the lower rail and the upper rail, thereby making it more difficult for the user to grasp onto the lower rail.

[0026] Projections 48 and 50 are separated from each other by space 72. Space 72 permits the user to wrap his or her fingers (not shown) around projections 48 and 50. Preferably, projections 48 and 50 are separated by about 4 inches in order to provide the user with ample space to get a good grip on the projections.

[0027] The dimensions of bracket 42 are further selected to ensure that rail 34 extends far enough away from wall 14 to permit the user to insert an arm (not shown) between wall 14 and the upper rail. Preferably, bracket 42 is dimensioned to position rail 34 at least 6 inches from wall 14. It has been discovered if rail 34 is less than 6 inches from wall 14, it is uncomfortable for the user to insert his or her arm between the wall and the upper rail. Also, if the upper rail is less than about 6 inches from the wall, then it may be difficult for the user to ascend or descend the stairs without bumping his or her elbow (not shown) against the wall.

[0028] Referring back to FIG. 2, upper rail 34 has wall 74, apex 70 and wall 76. When the user grasps rail 34 between his or her arm 30 and chest 36 in order to ascend or descend the stairs, the user will press his or her chest against wall 74. The user's armpit 38 will also bear against apex 70 and the user's arm 30 will bear against wall 76. Hence, the surface area available on upper rail 34 to support the user's weight is defined by wall 74, apex 70 and wall 76. Of course, the greater the surface area available on the rail for the user to bear his or her body against, the more weigh the user can confidently apply to the rail and the less stress will be applied to the user's legs. Hence, maximizing the surface area in contact between rail 34 and the user's chest, arm and armpit, is desirable. Also, to ensure the maximal surface area of contact between the user's arm, chest and armpit, the cross sectional profile of rail 34 should closely conform to the shape formed by the juxtaposition of the user's arm and chest. As more particularly described below, rail 34 is shaped to closely conform to the natural shape created by the partially outstretched arm.

[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d and 4e, upper rail 34 is shaped substantially in the form of an arch. There are three general types of arches, namely a semi-circular arch as shown in FIG. 4d, an elliptical arch as shown in FIG. 4c and a parabolic arch as shown in FIG. 4b. It has been discovered that in order for rail 34 to comfortably bear against a user's armpit (not shown) the top portion of the rail should have an arched profile so as to evenly distribute the users weight along the upper surface of the rail. While the upper portion of rail 34 can take on any of these arched profiles, it has been discovered that a parabolic arch profile is the most comfortable, since it most closely conforms to the natural shape created by the juxtaposition of the human arm with the human chest (i.e. the armpit area). An elliptical arch can be made to closely resemble a parabolic arch; therefore, for the purposes of this patent application, the term “substantially in the form of a parabolic arch” shall include elliptical arches in addition to parabolic arches. A semi-circular arch has been discovered to be less comfortable than an arch substantially in the form of a parabolic arch; however, a rail having a semi-circular top and a trapezoidal bottom as shown in FIG. 4e more closely resembles a parabolic arch; therefore, for the purposes of this patent application, the term “substantially in the form of a parabolic arch” shall include structures of this type.

[0030] Referring back to FIG. 2, top rail 34 must be positioned sufficiently high above step 18 to permit the user to bear against top portion 46 of the upper rail with the user's arm 30, chest 36 and armpit 38. If rail 34 is positioned too low, then the user would have to bend too far down in order to grasp the upper rail between the chest and arm. Conversely, if the upper rail is mounted too high, the user cannot grasp the upper rail comfortably. A great majority of people vary in height between 4′ 10″ to 6′ 2″. Despite this large variation in height, it has been discovered that a vast majority of people of different heights can effectively use the rail to ascend and descend stairs in the manner shown in FIG. 2 provided that apex 70 of top rail 34 is positioned in the range of 42 inches to 46 inches above steps 18. In particular, it has been discovered that people who are taller than average tend to crouch slightly while using the top rail to ascend and descend stairs. Taller people also have a tendency to grasp lower rail 48 with hand 15 while allowing armpit 38 to take more of their weight. Shorter people tend to apply more weight to outer wall 74 of top rail 34 when using the top rail to ascend and descend stairs in the manner shown in FIG. 2. Also, shorter people tend not to grasp lower rail 48 in order to more comfortably position apex 70 against armpit 38. Shorter people also have a tendency to gain additional support by grasping onto projections 48 and 50. Therefore, positioning the top rail in the range of between 42 to 46 inches above steps 18 permits the rail to be used by a wide variety of people of different heights.

[0031] Positioning rail 34 outside the range of 42 to 46 inches greatly decreases its usefulness to people of differing heights. Firstly, if rail 34 is positioned below this range, then the bottom portion of rail 34 will interfere with the use of lower handrail 40. It will be appreciated that in most jurisdictions, lower handrail 40 must be positioned at approximately 36 inches above steps 18; therefore, given the fact that upper rail 34 is approximately 4 inches high between apex 70 and projections 48 and 50, then positioning upper rail 34 such that apex 70 is less than 42 inches above steps 18 means that there will be less than 3 inches separating the projections from the lower rail. As mentioned above, if the lower rail is separated from the lower portion of the upper rail, then it will be difficult for people to insert their hands between the upper rail and the lower rail in order to grasp the lower rail. Conversely, if apex 70 of upper rail 34 is mounted more than 46 inches above steps 18, then many individuals will be too short to comfortably position apex 70 against their armpit.

[0032] The effectiveness of the upper rail in permitting elderly or disabled persons to ascend and descend staircases will now be discussed. Several experiments were conducted using elderly patients. The experiments compared the patients ability to ascend or descend stairs using a standard staircase railing equipped with only a handrail mounted 36 inches from the steps as compared to a staircase railing made in accordance with the present invention (having the upper rail shown in FIG. 1). The results revealed that elderly patients were more confident in ascending and descending the staircase using the staircase railing system shown in FIG. 1. In one case, an elderly patient who, due to her condition, was not capable of ascending or descending a staircase railing with a standard handrail was able to ascend and descend the same staircase when the upper rail was mounted above the handrail. In particular, the subject did not have sufficient strength in her arms and hands to ascend or descend the stairs simply by holding onto the lower handrail. However, when the upper rail was mounted to the rail mount, the subject was capable of both ascending and descending the staircase in the manner shown in FIG. 2.

[0033] The present invention is far more than simply raising a standard handrail to the height of between 42 to 46 inches. Indeed, given the fact that most jurisdiction require handrails to be mounted at a height of about 36 inches, simply raising the height of the handrail may not be legally permissible. A second rail (or upper rail) must be provided in order to comply with legal requirements. Furthermore, even if legal requirements are not a concern, positioning a hand rail at 36 inches above the steps greatly increases the utility and safety of the system. It has long been known that most people exhibit a natural fall arrest behavior when they feel themselves about to fall. This fall arrest behavior consists of reaching out their hands and arms when they feel themselves off balance. Placing a hand rail at a height of about 36 inches above the steps permits users to grasp onto the handrail with there hands as a consequence of their natural fall arrest behavior. Therefore, if the handrail is raised to a height of between 42 to 46 inches, the rail would be positioned too high for a user to grasp automatically using this natural fall arrest behavior. Therefore, in order to take advantage of this natural fall arrest behavior, the present rail system includes a hand rail at a height of 36 inches.

[0034] Two rail handrail systems have also been known in the past; however, these systems comprise a lower handrail positioned at a height of below 36 inches. These prior two rail systems did not permit the user to ascend or descend the stairs differently, since they all rely on the user grasping the handrails with their hands. The present invention positions both the upper and lower rails so that the user can use the lower rail like a traditional handrail, and the upper rail for bearing his or her weight.

[0035] A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A railing system for assisting a user in ascending and descending a staircase having a plurality of steps, the railing system comprising:

an elongated upper rail having opposite first and second ends and a cross sectional diameter, the upper rail having a top portion,

a mounting bracket for mounting the rail above the steps,

the top portion of the rail mounted at a heigh above the steps of between about 42 to about 46 inches.

2. The railing system of claim 1 wherein the rail has a cross sectional profile and wherein the profile of the top portion is arched.

3. The railing system of claim 2 wherein the cross-sectional profile of the top portion of the rail is substantially in the form of a parabolic arch.

4. The railing system of claim 3 wherein the cross-sectional diameter of the rail is about four inches.

5. The railing system of claim 4 wherein the upper rail has a bottom portion opposite the top portion, the rail having a height of about four inches between the upper and bottom portions.

6. The railing system of claim 5 wherein the bottom portion of the rail includes at least one elongated handle.

7. The railing system of claim 5 wherein the bottom portion of the rail includes a first and a second elongated handle.

8. The railing system of claim 7 wherein the first and second elongated handles are separated by a space of about three inches.

9. The railing system of claim 1 further comprising a lower rail mounted below the upper rail, the lower rail mounted about 36 inches above the steps.

10. The railing system of claim 9 wherein the upper and lower rails are separated by at least three inches.

11. The railing system of claim 4 further comprising a lower rail mounted below the upper rail, the lower rail mounted about 36 inches above the steps, the lower and upper rails being separated by at least three inches.

12. The railing system of claim 11 wherein the upper rail has a bottom portion opposite the top portion, the rail having a height of about four inches between the upper and bottom portions.

13. The railing system of claim 12 wherein the bottom portion of the upper rail includes at least one elongated handle, the elongated handle being at least three inches from the lower rail.

14. A railing system for assisting a user in ascending and descending a staircase having a plurality of steps, the railing system comprising:

an elongated upper rail having opposite first and second ends and a cross sectional diameter, the upper rail having a top portion,

an elongated lower rail having opposite first and second ends,

a mounting bracket for mounting the upper and lower rails above the steps in a parallel fashion,

the top portion of the upper rail mounted at a heigh above the steps of between about 42 to about 46 inches, and

the lower rail mounted at a height above the steps of about 36 inches.

15. The railing system of claim 14 wherein the upper rail has a cross sectional profile and wherein the profile of the top portion is arched.

16. The railing system of claim 15 wherein the cross-sectional profile of the top portion of the upper rail is substantially in the form of a parabolic arch.

17. The railing system of claim 16 wherein the cross-sectional diameter of the upper rail is about four inches.

18. The railing system of claim 17 wherein the upper rail has a bottom portion opposite the top portion, the upper rail having a height of about four inches between the upper and bottom portions.

19. A method of supporting a user while the user ascends and descends a staircase using the railing system of claim 14 comprising the steps of:

positioning the upper rail between the user's arm and chest by straddling the upper rail with the arm,

pressing the upper portion of the rail against the user's armpit and transferring at least a portion of the user's weigh to the upper rail by the user leaning against the upper rail.

20. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of grasping the lower rail with the user's hand.