Wall mounted bathroom support bars with integral mounting flange

Abstract

A support bar for a bathroom, such as a towel bar or a grab bar, includes a thin walled tubular member having a central portion for providing support, and two ends for mounting the bar to a wall. At each of the two ends, a mounting flange is formed by slitting the tube stock and bending mounting tabs radially outwardly of the thin walled part. The tube is preferably a cylindrical tube, and the use of the integral mounting flange removes the requirement of a separate mounting member that is welded to the bar in the prior art. Covers are placed over each of the mounting flanges once the mounting flange is mounted to the wall.

1 . bathroom support bar comprising: 
 a bar having a central portion extending along a first direction between a pair of ends, said ends being bent away from said bar central portion; and    said bar being formed of a hollow thin walled tube material, with said ends being formed integrally with said central portion, and a mounting flange formed integrally at each said end and including a plurality of tabs extending radially outwardly from said thin wall at each said ends, with there being at least three of said tabs in each mounting flange, and said at least three of said tabs including a hole to receive a threaded fastener, and a separate cover disposed at each said end to cover said holes.    
   
   
       2 .- 3 . (canceled)  
   
   
       4 . A support bar as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said bar is cylindrical.  
   
   
       5 . A bathroom support bar comprising: 
 a bar having a central portion extending along a first direction between a pair of ends, said ends being bent away from said bar central portion;    said bar being formed of a hollow cylindrical thin walled tube material, with said ends being formed integrally with said central portion, and a mounting flange formed integrally with each end and including a plurality of tabs extending radially outwardly from said thin wall at said ends, and there being at least three of said tabs in each said mounting flange, with said at least three of said tabs each including holes to receive a threaded fastener, and    a separate cover disposed at each of said ends and covering said holes.    
   
   
       6 .- 7 . (canceled)