Modular safety support system

Abstract

A modular safety support system having a modular support structure mounted to a fixed surface and a modular support accessory mountable on the modular support structure. The modular support structure may include a vertical support pole, a support post, or a wall mount and the modular support accessory may include one or more of a plurality of structures configured to provide support means to a user. The support pole has upper and lower ends adapted to abut firmly and releasably against opposed ceiling and floor surfaces respectively. The support post includes a base mountable to the floor and a post extending vertically from the base. The pole and the post may both include a bushing mounted along the length of the pole and the post such that an accessory mounting sleeve may be mountable onto the bushing for mounting the modular support accessories thereon. The wall mount includes a first and second rail mountable to a wall and a first and second mounting member mountable to the first and second rail such that modular support accessories may be mounted thereon.

1 . A modular safety support system comprising: 
 a modular support structure rigidly mountable to a fixed surface, said modular support structure including a vertical support pole, a support post, or a wall mount; and    a modular support accessory mountable on said modular support structure, said modular support accessory including a rigid rail connector, a rigid loop, a trapeze handle, a tray, a retractable bar, a rigid bar, or a bed frame support;    wherein said modular support accessory includes an accessory mounting sleeve having a split therealong and a clamp mounted thereon for clamping said split to thereby releasably rigidly mount said modular support accessory on said modular support structure; and    wherein said modular accessory is interchangeably mountable on said support structure.    
   
   
       2 . The modular safety support system of  claim 1  wherein said vertical support pole comprises: 
 opposite upper and lower ends adapted to abut firmly and releasably against opposed ceiling and floor surfaces respectively, wherein length adjustment means are mounted into said pole so as to cooperate with a releasably mountable torque application means releasably mountable onto, so as to cooperate with, said length adjustment means,    resilient biasing means mounted in said pole, said resilient biasing means resiliently biasing said opposite ends of said pole apart along a longitudinal axis of said pole,    a pressure distributing means mounted onto said upper end of said pole, said pressure distributing means for distributing pressure onto the ceiling surface, said upper end adapted by releasable mounting means cooperating with said pressure distributing means to resist rotational movement of said upper end relative to said pressure distributing means, said lower end mountable to a base member on the floor surface, said base member in vertically opposed relation to said pressure distributing means wherein said pole further comprises a bushing mounted to said pole positioned along the length of the pole, said accessory mounting sleeve mountable onto said bushing for mounting thereto said modular accessory,    wherein, as the length of the pole is increased by said length adjusting means, said resilient biasing means increases a biasing force urging said ends of said pole apart.    
   
   
       3 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said base member is curved concavely downwardly and is resilient so as to resiliently deform under pressure exerted along said longitudinal axis by said resilient biasing means to thereby flatten against the floor surface and re-form into said concavity upon any compacting down of the floor surface.  
   
   
       4 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said resilient biasing means is a coil spring and said length adjustment means is an elongate threaded member threadably mountable longitudinally within a cavity in said pole, threadably mountable into threaded engagement within a threaded receiving means mounted on said spring.  
   
   
       5 . The modular safety support system of  claim 4  wherein said torque application means cooperates with said elongate threaded member so as to rotate in threaded engagement said elongate threaded member within said threaded receiving means when a torque is applied by said torque application means to thereby extend said elongate threaded member from, or retract said elongate threaded member into, said upper end selectively according to opposite first or second directions of rotation of said elongate threaded member about said longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       6 . The modular safety support system of  claim 5  wherein an upper end of said threaded member mates with a non-rotatable coupler on said pressure bearing member so as to inhibit rotation of said threaded member relative to said pressure bearing member about said longitudinal axis of said pole.  
   
   
       7 . The modular safety support system of  claim 6  wherein said threaded receiving means is a threaded collar and said torque application means is a torque rod snugly releasably mountable into a corresponding socket mounted to said threaded collar so that said rod protrudes cantilevered generally perpendicularly from said threaded collar when said torque rod is releasably mounted in said socket, and wherein said upper end of said elongate threaded member extends journalled through said spring from said upper end of said pole when said elongate threaded member is in threaded engagement within said threaded collar.  
   
   
       8 . The modular safety support system of  claim 9  wherein said torque rod is adapted to be generally rigid below a first torque value and adapted to flexibly deform above said first torque value wherein said first torque value corresponds to a torque applied in said first or second rotational direction to said elongate threaded member so as to apply a corresponding first pressure against said ceiling surface by the pressure distributing means and against said floor surface by said base member, wherein said first pressure securely frictionally mounts said pole vertically between said ceiling and floor surfaces without damaging either the ceiling surface or the floor surface, and so as to flatten the bowed pressure bearing member.  
   
   
       9 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said upper end is mounted to said pressure distributing means by a universal joint means, said pressure distributing means including an upwardly concave resiliently bowed elongate pressure bearing member adapted to mount to said upper end generally medially along the length of said member and elongate a sufficient length so that opposite end portions of said pressure bearing member may be brought to bear upwardly against ceiling studs supporting the ceiling surface, said pressure bearing member deformable under the pressure exerted along said longitudinal axis by said resilient biasing means.  
   
   
       10 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said bushing is a resilient split bushing, said clamp of said mounting sleeve releasably clamping said sleeve onto said resilient split bushing.  
   
   
       11 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said lower end is mounted onto said base member by means of a male member in mating engagement with a female receiver, said male member mounted to said base member and having at least one ridge along its length for snug frictional mating with said female receiver in said lower end.  
   
   
       12 . The modular safety support system of  claim 4  further comprising a pressure-level indicating means cooperating between said coil spring and said threaded member so that as said spring is compressed with the rotation of said threaded member in threaded engagement with said threaded receiving means, a pressure indicating marker signals excessive force at a damage threshold for the ceiling or floor.  
   
   
       13 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein a rigid rail is mountable to said rigid rail connector, said rigid rail extending between a pair of said poles.  
   
   
       14 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said rigid loop when mounted to said pole is cantilevered outwardly of said pole by the length of said loop, said loop being elongate along its length.  
   
   
       15 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said trapeze handle is attached to a flexible strap, said flexible strap attached to a distal end of a cantilevered arm which extends generally perpendicularly from said pole when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       16 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said tray comprises a frame and a removable tray top, said frame extending generally perpendicularly from said pole when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       17 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said retractable bar is pivotably mounted on a bracket such that said retractable bar may displace between a first position and a second position wherein when in said first position, said retractable bar extends generally perpendicularly from said pole and when in said second position, said retractable bar extends generally parallel to said pole when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       18 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said rigid bar extends generally perpendicularly from said pole when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       19 . The modular safety support system of  claim 2  wherein said bed frame support comprises an elongate L-shaped support for engaging a first side of a bed frame in a generally parallel orientation and an elongate member for engaging a second opposing side of said bed frame in a generally perpendicular orientation such that said bed frame support provides additional stability to said pole and anchors said bed frame to said bed frame support when said bed frame support is mounted on said pole.  
   
   
       20 . The modular safety support system of  claim 1  wherein said support post comprises: 
 a base mountable on a floor surface; and    a rigid post extending vertically from said base;    wherein a bushing is mountable on said post, said bushing positioned along a length of said post; and    wherein said accessory mounting sleeve is mountable onto said bushing for mounting thereto said modular accessory.    
   
   
       21 . The modular safety support system of  claim 20  wherein said bushing is a resilient split bushing, said clamp releasably clamping said sleeve onto said bushing.  
   
   
       22 . The modular safety support system of  claim 20  wherein a rigid rail is mountable to said rigid rail connector, said rigid rail extending between a pair of said posts.  
   
   
       23 . The modular safety support system of  claim 20  wherein said rigid loop when mounted to said post is cantilevered outwardly of said post by the length of said loop, said loop being elongate along its length.  
   
   
       24 . The modular safety support system of  claim 20  wherein said trapeze handle is attached to a flexible strap, said flexible strap attached to a distal end of a cantilevered arm which extends generally perpendicularly from said post when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       25 . The modular safety support system of  claim 20  wherein said tray comprises a frame and a removable tray top, said frame extending generally perpendicularly from said post when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       26 . The modular safety support system of  claim 20  wherein said retractable bar is pivotably mounted on a bracket such that said retractable bar may displace between a first position and a second position wherein when in said first position, said retractable bar extends generally perpendicularly from said post and when in said second position, said retractable bar extends generally parallel to said post when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       27 . The modular safety support system of  claim 20  wherein said rigid bar extends generally perpendicularly from said post when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       28 . The modular safety support system of  claim 20  wherein said bed frame support comprises an elongate L-shaped support for engaging a first side of a bed frame in a generally parallel orientation and an elongate member for engaging a second opposing side of said bed frame in a generally perpendicular orientation such that said bed frame support provides additional stability to said post and anchors said bed frame to said bed frame support when said bed frame support is mounted on said post.  
   
   
       29 . The modular safety support system of  claim 1  wherein said wall mount comprises: 
 a first and a second rail, each of said first and second rail having a mounting means for mounting said first and second rail on a wall; and    a first and a second mounting member mountable on said first and said second rail, respectively;    wherein said first and said second mounting members are configured to be insertable in opposing ends of said mounting sleeve for mounting thereto said modular accessory.    
   
   
       30 . The modular safety support system of  claim 29  wherein said first and said second rail may be generally horizontally or generally vertically mounted on said wall in a parallel and spaced apart orientation.  
   
   
       31 . The modular safety support system of  claim 30  wherein a resilient split bushing is disposed within said mounting sleeve.  
   
   
       32 . The modular safety support system of  claim 29  wherein a rigid rail is mountable to said rigid rail connector, said rigid rail extending between a pair of wall mounts.  
   
   
       33 . The modular safety support system of  claim 29  wherein said rigid loop when mounted to said wall mount is cantilevered outwardly of said wall mount by the length of said loop, said loop being elongate along its length.  
   
   
       34 . The modular safety support system of  claim 29  wherein said trapeze handle is attached to a flexible strap, said flexible strap attached to a distal end of a cantilevered arm which extends generally perpendicularly from said wall mount when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       35 . The modular safety support system of  claim 29  wherein said tray comprises a frame and a removable tray top, said frame extending generally perpendicularly from said wall mount when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       36 . The modular safety support system of  claim 29  wherein said retractable bar is pivotably mounted on a bracket such that said retractable bar may displace between a first position and a second position wherein when in said first position, said retractable bar extends generally perpendicularly from said wall mount and when in said second position, said retractable bar extends generally parallel to said first and second mounting members when mounted thereon.  
   
   
       37 . The modular safety support system of  claim 29  wherein said rigid bar extends generally perpendicularly from said wall mount when mounted thereon.