Safety bar end cap with self-draining water feature

Abstract

A safety bar end cap includes a member having an exterior surface including a first recess formed therein, the first recess sized to receive an end of a safety bar therein and defining a first depth measured from the exterior surface, the exterior surface further including a second recess formed therein, the second recess extending across the first recess and defining a second depth measured from the exterior surface that is greater than the first depth of the first recess.

1 . A safety bar end cap, comprising:
 an end cap body defining a flat expanse;   a safety bar receiving groove formed in said flat expanse, said safety bar receiving groove defining a bar depth within said body and measured from said flat expanse; and   a fluid draining groove formed in said flat expanse, said fluid draining groove defining a drain depth within said body and measured from said flat expanse wherein said drain depth is greater than said bar depth, and wherein said fluid draining groove extends across said safety bar receiving groove.   
     
     
         2 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 1  wherein said fluid draining groove defines a first enlarged end region positioned on a first side of said safety bar receiving groove and a second enlarged end region positioned on a second side of said safety bar receiving groove. 
     
     
         3 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 2  wherein said safety bar receiving groove includes a substantially horizontal section and wherein said fluid draining groove extends across said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar receiving groove such that said first enlarged end region of said fluid draining groove is positioned above said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar receiving groove and said second enlarged end region of said fluid draining groove is positioned below said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar receiving groove. 
     
     
         4 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 1  wherein a difference between said drain depth and said bar depth is a clearance depth, wherein said clearance depth is sufficient in size to allow water to drain there through. 
     
     
         5 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 1  further comprising an aperture sized to receive a fastener there through, said fastener adapted to secure an end of a safety bar within said safety bar receiving groove. 
     
     
         6 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 1  further comprising a front edge positioned perpendicular to said flat expanse, said front edge defining an arcuate shape and a smooth, rounded surface along said arcuate shape that inhibits attachment of a ligature thereto. 
     
     
         7 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 1  wherein a difference between said drain depth and said bar depth is a clearance depth, wherein said clearance depth is sized to hinder a ligature from being passed there through. 
     
     
         8 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 3  wherein a top surface of said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar receiving groove defines an angle of less than ten degrees and greater than zero degrees with respect to a horizontal axis and wherein said first enlarged end region of said fluid draining groove is positioned at a lower end of said substantially horizontal section. 
     
     
         9 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 1  wherein said safety bar end cap comprises a corner cap further comprising:
 a second flat expanse; 
 a second safety bar receiving groove formed in said second flat expanse, said second safety bar receiving groove defining a second bar depth within said body and measured from said second flat expanse; and 
 a second fluid draining groove formed in said second flat expanse, said second fluid draining groove defining a second drain depth within said body and measured from said second flat expanse wherein said second drain depth is greater than said second bar depth, and wherein said second fluid draining groove extends across said second safety bar receiving groove. 
 
     
     
         10 . A safety bar system, comprising:
 a safety bar comprising an elongate solid member including a first end region and a second end region, and a curved hand gripping region and a flat wall contacting region both extending without opening between said first and second end regions; and   an end cap defining a flat expanse, a safety bar receiving groove formed in said flat expanse and adapted to receive said first end region of said safety bar therein, said safety bar receiving groove defining a bar depth within said end cap and measured from said flat expanse, and a fluid draining groove formed in said flat expanse, said fluid draining groove defining a drain depth within said end cap and measured from said flat expanse wherein said drain depth is greater than said bar depth, and wherein said fluid draining groove extends across said safety bar receiving groove.   
     
     
         11 . The safety bar system of  claim 10  further comprising a second end cap defining a second flat expanse, a second safety bar receiving groove formed in said second flat expanse and adapted to receive said second end region of said safety bar therein, said second safety bar receiving groove defining a second bar depth within said second end cap and measured from said second flat expanse, and a second fluid draining groove formed in said second flat expanse, said second fluid draining groove defining a second drain depth within said second end cap and measured from said second flat expanse wherein said second drain depth is greater than said second bar depth, and wherein said second fluid draining groove extends across said second safety bar receiving groove. 
     
     
         12 . The safety bar system of  claim 10  wherein said safety bar includes a substantially horizontal section positioned between said curved gripping region and said flat wall contacting region, wherein said safety bar receiving groove includes a substantially horizontal section adapted to receive therein and end region of said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar, and wherein said fluid draining groove extends across said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar receiving groove such that a first end region of said first fluid draining groove is positioned above said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar receiving groove and a second end region of said fluid draining groove is positioned below said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar receiving groove. 
     
     
         13 . The safety bar system of  claim 10  wherein said safety bar includes a substantially horizontal section and a substantially vertical section extending between said curved hand gripping region and said substantially horizontal section, wherein said fluid draining groove defines a first opening positioned in a corner defined by said substantially horizontal section and said substantially vertical section, wherein said curved hand gripping region extends over said first opening of said fluid draining groove such that said first opening is surrounded on three sides by said safety bar such that access to said first opening is in a direction opposite to a water flow direction through said fluid draining groove. 
     
     
         14 . The safety bar system of  claim 12  wherein a top surface of said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar and a top surface of said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar receiving groove both define an angle of less than ten degrees and greater than zero degrees with respect to a horizontal axis and wherein said first end region of said fluid draining groove is positioned at a lower end of said substantially horizontal section such that said top surface of said substantially horizontal section of said safety bar drains water falling thereon toward said first end region of said fluid draining groove. 
     
     
         15 . The safety bar system of  claim 10  wherein said first end cap comprises a corner cap further comprising:
 a second flat expanse; 
 a second safety bar receiving groove formed in said second flat expanse, said second safety bar receiving groove defining a second bar depth within said body and measured from said second flat expanse; and 
 a second fluid draining groove formed in said second flat expanse, said second fluid draining groove defining a second drain depth within said body and measured from said second flat expanse wherein said second drain depth is greater than said second bar depth, and wherein said second fluid draining groove extends across said second safety bar receiving groove. 
 
     
     
         16 . A safety bar end cap, comprising:
 a member that includes an exterior surface, said exterior surface including a first recess formed therein, said first recess sized to receive an end of a safety bar therein and defining a first depth measured from said exterior surface, said exterior surface further including a second recess formed therein, said second recess extending across said first recess and defining a second depth measured from said exterior surface that is greater than said first depth of said first recess.   
     
     
         17 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 16  wherein said second recess includes a first bend region and a second bend region, said first bend region forcing fluid to flow in a first direction and said second bend region forcing fluid to flow in a second direction different from said first direction, said first and second bend regions allowing fluid to flow there through and hindering a ligature from being threaded there through. 
     
     
         18 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 16  wherein said first recess includes a substantially horizontal region and wherein said second recess extends across said substantially horizontal region. 
     
     
         19 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 17  wherein said second recess includes a third bend region and a fourth bend region, said third bend region forcing fluid to flow in a third direction and said fourth bend region forcing fluid to flow in a fourth direction, wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth directions each define a unique direction of flow, said first, second, third and fourth bend regions allowing fluid to flow there through and hindering a ligature from being threaded there through. 
     
     
         20 . The safety bar end cap of  claim 19  wherein said member includes an absence of apertures and an absence of corners so as to prohibit a ligature from being secured thereto.