Touch-Sensitive Lighted Hand Rail

Abstract

A wall mounted hand rail system for assisting a user includes a support beam. A plurality of lighting elements is disposed adjacent a bottom portion of the support beam and is configured selectively to direct light in a downward direction. An electronic system is configured to sense when the support beam has been touched by the user and is configured to cause the lighting elements to illuminate an area below the support beam when the support beam has been touched by the user.

1 . A wall mounted hand rail system for assisting a user, comprising:
 a. a support beam, configured to be grabbed by the user and to provide support thereto;   b. a plurality of at least three spaced apart light emitting diodes disposed at a bottom portion of the support beam and configured selectively to direct light in a downward direction; and   c. an electronic system configured to sense when the support beam has been touched by the user and configured to cause the light emitting diodes to illuminate an area below the support beam when the support beam has been touched by the user.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one light emitting diode disposed adjacent each end of the support beam to provide guidance to the user as to where to grab the hand rail system. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the support beam includes a conductive outer surface and wherein electronic system comprises:
 a. a touch sensor circuit configured to sense when the conductive outer surface has been touched; and   b. a switch that is configured to couple the light emitting diodes to a power source when the touch sensor has sensed that the conductive outer surface has been touched.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the electronic system further comprises a timing circuit that is configured to start a timer when the conductive outer surface has been touched and wherein the switch is responsive to the timer and is further configured to continue to couple the light emitting diodes to the power source until the timer indicates that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the conductive outer surface was touched. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of wall mounts configured to secure the hand rail system to the wall. 
     
     
         6 . A hand rail system for assisting a user, comprising:
 a. a support beam having a conductive outer surface and configured to be grabbed by the user and to provide support thereto;   b. a plurality of at least three spaced apart light emitting diodes disposed at a bottom portion of the support beam and configured selectively to direct light in a downward direction; and   c. an electronic system configured to sense when the support beam has been touched by the user and configured to cause the light emitting diodes to illuminate an area below the support beam when the support beam has been touched by the user, the electronic system including:
 i. a touch sensor circuit configured to sense when the conductive outer surface has been touched; 
 ii. a switch that is configured to couple the light emitting diodes to a power source when the touch sensor has sensed that the conductive outer surface has been touched; and 
 iii. a timing circuit that is configured to start a timer when the conductive outer surface has been touched and wherein the switch is responsive to the timer and is further configured to continue to couple the light emitting diodes to the power source until the timer indicates that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the conductive outer surface was touched. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one light emitting diode disposed adjacent each end of the support beam to provide guidance to the user as to where to grab the hand rail system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of wall mounts configured to secure the hand rail system to a wall. 
     
     
         9 . A room, comprising:
 a. a wall;   b. a support beam affixed to the wall so that the support beam is at an elevation to facilitate supporting a person grasping the support beam;   c. a plurality of at least three spaced apart light emitting diodes disposed at a bottom portion of the support beam and configured selectively to direct light in a downward direction; and   d. an electronic system configured to sense when the support beam has been touched by the user and configured to cause the light emitting diodes to illuminate an area below the support beam when the support beam has been touched by the user.   
     
     
         10 . The room of  claim 9 , wherein the support beam runs from a sleeping area to a door. 
     
     
         11 . The room of  claim 9 , wherein the support beam runs from a sleeping area to a restroom. 
     
     
         12 . The room of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one light emitting diode disposed adjacent each end of the support beam to provide guidance to the user as to where to grab the hand rail system. 
     
     
         13 . The room of  claim 9 , wherein the support beam includes a conductive outer surface and wherein electronic system comprises:
 a. a touch sensor circuit configured to sense when the conductive outer surface has been touched; and   b. a switch that is configured to couple the light emitting diodes to a power source when the touch sensor has sensed that the conductive outer surface has been touched.   
     
     
         14 . The room of  claim 13 , wherein the electronic system further comprises a timing circuit that is configured to start a timer when the conductive outer surface has been touched and wherein the switch is responsive to the timer and is further configured to continue to couple the light emitting diodes to the power source until the timer indicates that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the conductive outer surface was touched. 
     
     
         15 . The room of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of wall mounts configured to secure the hand rail system to the wall.