Patent Publication Number: US-8991625-B2

Title: Adjustable curtain rod assembly

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to adjustable curtain rods, and more particularly to adjustable curtain rods for shower curtains. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Adjustable shower curtain rods are known. A common adjustable rod, sometimes referred to as a tension rod, takes the form of a telescoping, two-piece rod. The two rod halves can be rotated relative to one another to shorten or lengthen the rod to fit the shower or bath enclosure. Such rods are typically supported by respective brackets fastened to opposed walls of the shower or bath enclosure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides, in one aspect, an adjustable curtain rod assembly including an adjustable-length rod having a first end and a second end, a bracket pivotably coupled to one of the first and second ends of the rod about a pivot axis that is oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the rod, a first contact pad on the bracket spaced in a lateral direction from the pivot axis for frictionally engaging a support surface, and a second contact pad on the bracket spaced in an opposite lateral direction from the pivot axis as the first mounting pad for frictionally engaging the support surface. 
     The present invention provides, in another aspect, an adjustable curtain rod assembly including an adjustable-length rod having a first end and a second end, a bracket pivotably coupled to each of the first and second ends of the rod about respective pivot axes that are oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the rod, a first contact pad on each bracket spaced in a lateral direction from the pivot axis of the respective bracket for frictionally engaging a support surface, a second contact pad on each bracket spaced in an opposite lateral direction from the pivot axis of the respective bracket as the first mounting pad for frictionally engaging the support surface, and a third contact pad on each bracket aligned with the pivot axis of the respective bracket for frictionally engaging the support surface. 
     The present invention provides, in yet another aspect, an adjustable curtain rod assembly including an adjustable-length rod having a first end and a second end, defining therebetween a longitudinal axis, a T-shaped bracket coupled to one of the first and second ends of the rod, a first contact pad on the bracket spaced in a lateral direction from the longitudinal axis for frictionally engaging a support surface, and a second contact pad on the bracket spaced in an opposite lateral direction from the longitudinal axis as the first contact pad for frictionally engaging the support surface. 
     Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an adjustable curtain rod assembly of the invention mounted in a shower enclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a partially exploded, perspective view of the adjustable curtain rod assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded, rear perspective view of a bracket of the adjustable curtain rod assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the bracket of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view through the bracket of  FIG. 4  along line  5 - 5 . 
     
    
    
     Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an adjustable curtain rod assembly  10  installed on a shower or bath enclosure  14  such that a curtain supported by the rod assembly  10  encloses the shower or bath to substantially contain water, to provide privacy to the occupant, and to provide a decorative feature to the bathroom. However, it is to be understood that the rod assembly  10  need not be used exclusively for bath and shower applications, but can be used for other applications utilizing a curtain or support rod (e.g., window treatments, dividers, vestibules, etc.). 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the rod assembly  10  includes an arcuate or curved rod  18  having opposed first and second ends  22   a ,  22   b . Alternatively, the rod  18  may have a substantially straight configuration when installed in a shower or bath enclosure  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, the rod  18  can be made from any suitable material and may include a single integral piece or multiple pieces incorporated as a unit. The rod  18  may further include an adjustment mechanism for adjusting an overall length of the rod assembly  10  in order to fit a specific mounting dimension for an application of use. Such an adjustment mechanism is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0031198 filed on Aug. 5, 2009, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, for standardized shower and bath enclosure dimensions, the rod assembly  10  can be nominally sized to have a length generally appropriate for a standard dimension. The adjustment mechanism(s) of the rod  18  would provide the final adjustability so that the rod assembly  10  can be supported by opposing support surfaces  34  of the shower and/or bath enclosure  14  (only one of which is shown in  FIG. 1 ) via pressure created by extending the length of the rod assembly  10  between the support surfaces  34 . Such pressure-mounted rod assemblies are often referred to as tension rods. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the rod assembly  10  includes first and second brackets  38   a ,  38   b  coupled to the first and second ends  22   a ,  22   b  of the rod  18 , respectively. Particularly, the first end  22   a  of the rod  18  includes a first fastener receiving member  42   a  pivotably coupled to the first bracket  38   a , and the second end  22   b  of the rod  18  includes a second fastener receiving member  42   b  pivotably coupled to the second bracket  38   b . The front surface  46  of each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  includes a first, upper-most ear  50  and a second, lower-most ear  54  between which the respective fastener receiving members  42   a ,  42   b  are supported. In each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b , the upper-most ear  50  includes a through-bore  58  and the lower-most ear  54  includes a threaded bore  62  in alignment with the through-bore  58  to define a pivot axis  66  (see also  FIG. 5 ). As shown in  FIG. 2 , the pivot axis  66  of each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis  70  of the rod  18  such that the rod  18  is generally pivotable relative to each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  in a horizontal plane when installed in a shower or bath enclosure  14 . The rod assembly  10  also includes respective pins  74  oriented along the pivot axes  66  of the first and second brackets  38   a ,  38   b , and received within the through-bore  58  and threaded bore  62  of each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b , and within a through-bore  76  of the respective first and second fastener receiving members  42   a ,  42   b  ( FIG. 2 ). In the illustrated embodiment of the rod assembly  10 , the pins  74  are configured as threaded fasteners that are anchored to the threaded bores  62  of the respective brackets  38   a ,  38   b . Alternatively, different structural arrangements may be employed for securing the rod  18  to the brackets  38   a ,  38   b . For example, a fixed connection (i.e., one having zero degrees of freedom) may be utilized between the rod  18  and each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b . The brackets  38   a ,  38   b  can be made from aluminum, stainless steel, zinc, plastic, or other suitable materials. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  (with only the right-side bracket  38   b  being shown) are configured to be frictionally mounted against the support surfaces  34 . The relatively large footprint of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  facilitates distribution of the compressive loading exerted by the rod  18  over a large portion of the support surfaces  34 , thereby minimizing the risk of damage to the support surfaces  34  during installation of the rod assembly  10 . With reference to  FIGS. 2-4 , each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  includes first, second, and third elastomeric contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  attached to the rear surface  78  (e.g., with an adhesive, etc.) and that engages the support surfaces  34 . In the illustrated embodiment of the rod assembly  10 , the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  are made of rubber. Alternatively, the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  may be made of any of a number of different elastomeric or other suitable materials. For example, the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  may include an adhesive to facilitate attachment to the support surfaces  34 , or a friction or non-slip outer surface to enhance the grip that the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  may exert on the support surfaces  34 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , the first and second contact pads  82   a ,  82   b  are noncontiguous and are generally evenly spaced on laterally opposite sides of the pivot axis  66  of each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b . The third contact pad  82   c  is noncontiguous with the first and second contact pads  82   a ,  82   b  and is generally aligned with the pivot axis  66  of each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b . In addition, the third contact pad  82   c  is positioned below the lower-most ear  54  when the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  are oriented in their mounted position. The brackets  38   a ,  38   b  are configured having a T-shape to accommodate this arrangement of the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c , as shown in  FIGS. 2-4 . Each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  also includes an outer peripheral lip  84  spaced from the rear surface  78  and at least partially defining the T-shape of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  (see also  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  5 ). However, in some embodiments of the rod assembly  10 , the contact pad  82   c  may be omitted from each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   a  such that the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  may assume a different configuration. In other embodiments of the rod assembly  10 , the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  may be configured as portions of a single contiguous contact pad. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , a first imaginary line  86  connects the centers or midpoints of the first and second contact pads  82   a ,  82   b , and passes between the ears  50 ,  54 , but closer to the lower-most ear  54 . When the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  are installed in their mounted positions on the opposed support surfaces  34 , the imaginary line  86  is oriented substantially horizontal to position the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b  on opposite lateral sides of the pivot axis  66 . A second imaginary line  90  connects the centers or midpoints of the first and third contact pads  82   a ,  82   c , and a third imaginary line  94  connects the centers or midpoints of the second and third contact pads  82   b ,  82   c . The included angle θ between the second and third imaginary lines  90 ,  94  is approximately 90 degrees, although other angles are possible depending upon the configuration of the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  on the brackets  38   a ,  38   b.    
     When the rod assembly  10  is installed between the opposed support surfaces  34 , the rod  18  is adjusted to a length (or, elastically bent into a curved shape) for exerting a normal force against each of the support surfaces  34  through the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  of each bracket  38   a ,  38   b  to develop frictional forces between the support surfaces  34  and the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c . The sum of the frictional forces between the support surfaces  34  and the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  resists or counteracts the weight and any moment about an axis A oriented normal to the page containing  FIG. 4  that is produced by the rod  18  and any attached curtain. This is especially significant with curved or arcuate rods  18  because the weight of the curtain suspended from the rod  18 , when represented as a single point mass, may be offset from the axis A as a result of the curvature of the rod  18 . The larger the curvature of the rod  18 , the farther the center of mass of the curtain is moved from the axis A. Particularly, the vertical span of each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b , with the attached contact pad  82   c , provides stability to the installed rod assembly  10  while the horizontal span of each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b , with the attached contact pads  82   a ,  82   b , resists or counteracts the moment about axis A caused by the offset weight of the rod  18  with an attached curtain. The brackets  38   a ,  38   b  support the rod  18  with an attached curtain without the need for more permanent conventional fasteners (e.g., screws). 
     The rod assembly  10  may be installed into a shower and/or bath enclosure  14  after the ends  22   a ,  22   b  of the rod  18  are attached to the respective brackets  38   a ,  38   b . To attach each bracket  38   a ,  38   b , the through-bore  76  in the respective fastener receiving members  42   a ,  42   b  is aligned with the pivot axis  66  of each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  ( FIG. 2 ). Then, for each bracket  38   a ,  38   b , the pin  74  is inserted through the respective through-bores  58 ,  76  in the upper-most ear  50  and the fastener receiving member  42   a ,  42   b . The pin  74  is then received by the threaded bore  62  in the lower-most ear  54  and anchored therein by threaded engagement. This coupling arrangement provides the rod  18  with a rotational degree of freedom, with respect to each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b , about the pivot axis  66 . Next, should the rod  18  include an adjustment mechanism for varying its length (i.e., like that disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0031198), the length of the rod  18  is then adjusted to position the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  between the opposed support surfaces  34  in the shower and/or bath enclosure  14 . To fix the rod assembly  10  in place, the adjustment mechanism is manipulated to thereby lengthen the rod  18  until it exerts a compressive load on each of the support surfaces  34 , thereby allowing the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  to develop a frictional force against the opposed support surfaces  34 . 
     If a fixed-length rod is used (i.e., without such a length adjustment mechanism as described in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2011/0031198), the rod assembly  10  may be secured to the opposed support surfaces  34  by exerting a buckling force on the rod  18  to elastically bend it, positioning the rod assembly  10  between the support surfaces  34 , and then releasing the buckling force on the rod  18  when the brackets  38   a ,  38   b  are properly positioned. As the rod  18  elastically recovers, a compressive force is exerted on the support surfaces  34  by the respective brackets  38   a ,  38   b  in a similar manner as described above to develop frictional forces against the support surfaces  34 . 
     These frictional forces resist the weight of the rod assembly  10  and any attached curtain, maintaining the rod assembly  10  fixed in place without the need for more permanent conventional fasteners. The combined weight of the rod assembly  10  and the attached curtain also applies a moment on each of the brackets  38   a ,  38   b . The T-shaped arrangement of the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  provides the friction forces developed by the contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  with extended moment arms (especially the spaced contact pads  82   a ,  82   b ), thereby improving the bracket&#39;s stability and capability of resisting or cancelling the moment (about axis A in  FIG. 4 ) otherwise caused by the combined weight of the rod assembly  10  and the attached curtain. 
     Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.