Patent Publication Number: US-2023157473-A1

Title: Dual-Mounted End Cap System And Locking System For An Adjustable Rod

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. Application No. 17/187,407, filed Feb. 26, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. Application No. 16/297,357, filed Mar. 8, 2019, now U.S. Patent No. 10,959,559, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to an adjustable rod and, more particularly, to endcaps for an adjustable rod and a non-jamming locking system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Adjustable rods are commonly used to support curtains, such as window and shower curtains and clothing on hangers. Adjustable rods commonly have two tubes where one slides inside the other one to adjust the relative length of the combined tubes. The adjustable rods include a locking system to set the tubes relative to one another and adjustable end caps to apply the appropriate amount of pressure on a pair of mounting walls between which the rod extends. There is a need to help ensure that the locking system does not become stuck, which may then require disassembly of the system to repair it for operation. 
     The adjustable rods further include a pair of end caps which contact the mounting walls. The end caps include pads which create friction and improve the stability of the adjustable rods when mounted to the walls. This combined with the pressure applied by the adjustable rods to the mounting walls will secure the rod in place. 
     Some people, however, are more comfortable with a permanent mount to the wall because it is a more secure attachment. Thus, one known shortcoming with current adjustable tension rods is their inability to also be mounted permanently. Thus, there is a need for a tension rod that can be mounted both temporarily and permanently. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an adjustable rod in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a longitudinal cross-section showing an adjustment mechanism for the adjustable rod of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of an insert of a lock assembly of the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a top plan view of the insert of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of the insert of  FIG.  3    with a lock disc attached thereto; 
         FIG.  6    is a top plan view of the lock disc of  FIG.  5   ; 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view down an inside of an inner tube of the adjustable rod of  FIG.  1    showing the insert of the lock assembly of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view down an inside of an outer tube of the adjustable rod of  FIG.  1    showing the lock disc of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view of a left end cap of the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view of a right end cap of the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view of a left end cap adjustment screw insert of the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  12    is a perspective view of a right end cap adjustment screw insert of the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  13    is a perspective view of a left end outer tube insert of the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  14    is a perspective view of a right end inner tube insert of the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  15    is a cross-section view of an alternative adjustment mechanism for the adjustable rod of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  16    is a perspective view of a lock assembly for the alternative adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  15   ; 
         FIG.  17    is a perspective view of a lock ramp of the lock assembly of  FIG.  16   ; 
         FIG.  18    is a perspective view of an inner tube left end insert of the lock assembly of  FIG.  16   ; 
         FIG.  19    is a perspective view of a lock sleeve of the lock assembly of  FIG.  16   ; 
         FIG.  20    is a cross-section view of an alternative adjustment mechanism for the adjustable rod of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  21    is a cross-section view of a lock assembly for the alternative adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  20   ; 
         FIG.  22    is an exploded cross section view of the lock assembly of  FIG.  21   ; 
         FIG.  23    is a cross-section view of an alternative end cap assembly for the adjustable rod of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  24    is a cross-section view of the end caps for the assembly of  FIG.  23   ; 
         FIG.  25    is a cross-section view of the screw inserts for the assembly of  FIG.  23   ; 
         FIG.  26    is a cross-section view of the tube inserts for the assembly of  FIG.  23   ; 
         FIG.  27    is a perspective view of end cap assemblies for a dual-mount end cap system; 
         FIG.  28    is a cross-section view of end cap assemblies for a dual-mount end cap system taken across line 28-28; 
         FIG.  29    is an exploded side elevation view of end cap assemblies for a dual-mount end cap system, wherein a cross section of the threaded inserts is taken; 
         FIG.  30    is a cross-section view of rods for use in the end cap assemblies of  FIG.  29   ; 
         FIG.  31    is a cross-section view of a threaded cap insert for use in an end cap assembly of  FIG.  29   ; 
         FIG.  32    is a cross-section view of threaded tube inserts for use in the end cap assemblies of  FIG.  29   ; 
         FIG.  33    is a perspective view of end caps for use in the end cap assemblies of  FIG.  29   ; 
         FIG.  34    is a cross-section view of the end caps of  FIG.  33   ; 
         FIG.  35    is a front elevation view of the end caps of  FIG.  33   ; 
         FIG.  36    is a cross-section view of end cap assemblies for a dual-mount end cap system; 
         FIG.  37    is a side elevational view of an alternative lock assembly for a set of telescoping adjustable rods such as those of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  38    is a side elevational view of a lock ramp for the lock assembly of  FIG.  37   ; 
         FIG.  39    is an end elevational view of a head portion of the lock ramp of  FIG.  38   ; 
         FIG.  40    is a side elevational view of a two-piece insert for the lock assembly of  FIG.  37    with the two pieces separated; 
         FIG.  41    is an end elevational view of the two-piece insert of  FIG.  40    with the two pieces separated; 
         FIG.  42    is an end perspective view of a lock sleeve of the lock assembly of  FIG.  37   ; 
         FIG.  43    is an end perspective view of the lock assembly of  FIG.  37   ; 
         FIG.  44    is a side perspective view of a stop system of the lock assembly of  FIG.  37   ; and 
         FIG.  45    is a cross-section view of an alternative end cap with a unitary insert. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIG.  1   , there is illustrated a universal adjustable rod  10  designed to be easily installed between two walls to support hanging items, such as for supporting a shower curtain in a shower enclosure. The shower rod  10  adjusts in length from a contracted length to an extended length to accommodate different distances between the mounting walls. Once adjusted to a level distance between the mounting walls, the adjustable rod  10  is further adjusted to apply the appropriate amount of force on the walls to facilitate sufficient supporting strength. The adjustment mechanisms described herein permit simple installation of the adjustable rod  10  without undesired walking of the ends of the rod  10  on the mounting wall. 
     More specifically, the adjustable rod  10  includes an inner tube  12  partially received in an outer tube  14 . The inner tube  12  extends telescopically from the outer tube  14  to provide a coarse adjustment of the rod  10  to engage the mounting walls. The outer tube  14  includes a left end cap  16 , and the inner tube  12  includes a right end cap  18 . The end caps  16 ,  18  adjust relative to their respective tubes  14 ,  12  to provide fine adjustments to further apply force against the mounting walls. These adjustments, as explained further below, place the rod  10  in sufficient tension between the mounting walls to enable the rod  10  to support items such as a shower curtain. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  2 - 14   , there is illustrated one embodiment of an adjustment mechanism for the adjustable rod  10 . The adjustment mechanism includes a lock assembly  20  intermediate the end caps  16 ,  18  to lock the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  relative to one another for the coarse adjustment. The adjustment mechanism further includes a left end cap adjustment assembly  22  and a right end cap adjustment assembly  24 . The end cap adjustment assemblies  22 ,  24  provide the fine adjustments to apply the appropriate amount of force against the mounting walls. For the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  2   , the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  are roll formed from metal with a longitudinal folded seam along the inside to secure the rounded cross-section (see  FIGS.  7  and  8   ). 
     The lock assembly  20  includes a lock assembly insert  26  that fits in an inner end portion  28  of the inner tube  12  such that it is fixed against movement relative to the inner tube  12  and a lock disc  30  that is attached to an outer end  32  of the insert  26  that extends beyond an end  34  of the inner tube  12 . The lock disc  30  engages an inside surface  36  of the outer tube  14  to enable the tubes  12 ,  14  to be extended relative to one another but not contracted once extended. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the lock assembly insert  26  has a cylindrical, hollow body configuration with a flat end wall  38  at one end surrounded by a perimeter flange  40  extending radially from the insert  26 . The flange  40  engages the end  34  of the inner tube  12  as a stop against complete insertion into the inner tube  12 . The flat end wall  38  includes a central threaded bore. The threading may be provided by a metal insert  41  friction fitted into the bore in the flat end wall  38 . The outer diameter of the insert  26  is such that it provides a friction fit with an inner surface  42  of the inner end portion  28  of the inner tube  12  to resist unintentional removal from the inner tube  12 . The insert  26  includes a longitudinal groove  44  extending the entire length for receiving a folded seam  46  ( FIG.  7   ) to resist rotation of the lock assembly relative to the inner tube  12 . The insert  26  also may include a circumferential groove  48  near an inner end  23  of the insert  26 . The circumferential groove  48  may be used to further secure the insert  26  in the inner tube  12 . A portion of inner tube at the groove  48  can be indented into the groove  48  to provide an interlocking engagement. The insert may be made (e.g., molded) from a rigid plastic material. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  5  and  6   , the lock disc  30  is attached to the flat end wall  38  of the insert  26  with a threaded screw  50  into the central threaded bore  41 . The lock disc  30  includes a series of radial slits  52  that define a series of petals  54  with an arcuate outer edge  56 . A seam cutout  55  is located at one of the slits  52 . The seam cutout  55  receives the folded seam  57  of the outer tube  12  ( FIG.  8   ). 
     The petals  54  enable the lock disc  30  to take on a concave shape facing into the outer tube  14  ( FIG.  2   ). The diameter of the lock disc  30  is sufficiently large so that the outer arcuate edge  56  of the petals  54  engages the inner surface  36  of the outer tube  14 . The concave shape enables the petals  54  to slide along the inner surface  36  as the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  are extended relative to one another but wedges against the inner surface  36  to prevent contraction of the inner tube  12  into the outer tube  14 . This provides a one-way slip lock configuration for the coarse extension of the tubes  12 ,  14  relative to one another between the mounting walls. The lock disc  30  is preferably made of a metal material, such as spring steel, that retains its shape and is of sufficient integrity to lock against the inner wall  36  of the outer tube  14 . 
     The left and right end cap assemblies  22 ,  24  are the same except that they are threaded so the rotation of both the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  in the same direction causes both the left and right end caps  16 ,  18  to translate in opposite directions with respect to one another. That is, rotation of the tubes  12 ,  14  in clockwise direction when looking at the right end cap  18  causes the end caps  16 ,  18  to translate away from one another (outward) to apply pressure on the mounting walls to secure the adjustable rod  10  and when rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the end caps  16 ,  18  move toward each other to release the adjustable rod  10  from the mounting walls. During installation, one simply pulls the tubes  12 ,  14  apart to the desired length between the mounting walls and without moving his or her hands begins to turn the tubes  12 ,  14  together in the clockwise direction (i.e., toward his or her body) to translate the end caps  16 ,  18  outward to apply pressure on the mounting walls to secure the adjustable rod  10 . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  9  and  10   , the left end cap  16  and the right end cap  18  are identical. The end caps  16 ,  18  each include an end wall  62  with an outer surface  64  that is generally flat, a tapering outer surface  66  extending away from the outer surface  64  to the other end of the end cap, and a cylindrical, hollow interior  68 . A driver  70  projects from a center of the end wall into the interior  68  of the end cap. The driver  70  may be hexagonal in form. The end caps  16 ,  18  may be made of a rubber type material designed to provide a friction engagement with the mounting walls to prevent the end caps  16 ,  18  from rotating and walking on the mounting walls during rotation of the tubes for installation. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  11  and  12   , the left and right end cap assemblies  22 ,  24  include a left and right end cap adjustment screw insert  72 ,  74 , respectively. A head  76  of each screw insert  72 ,  74  includes a drive socket  78  to receive the driver  70  of the end caps  16 ,  18 . The socket may be hexagonal in configuration. The diameter of the head  76  is sized to provide a friction fit with an inner surface  80  of the interior  68  ( FIG.  10   ) of the end caps  16 ,  18 . The left end cap adjustment screw insert  72  includes right-hand threading  82 , and the right end cap adjustment screw insert  74  includes a left-hand threading  84 . The left and right end cap adjustment screw inserts  72 ,  74  may be made (e.g., molded) from a rigid plastic material. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  13  and  14   , the left and right end cap assemblies  22 ,  24  include a left and right end tube insert  86 ,  88 , respectively. Each insert  86 ,  88  is generally cylindrical with a hollow pass through  90 . The left end cap insert  86  fits with a friction fit in a left end  94  of the outer tube  14 , and the right end cap insert  88  fits in a right end  96  of the inner tube  12  with a friction fit ( FIG.  2   ). An outer diameter of the left end cap insert  86  is slightly larger than that of the right end cap insert  88  to accommodate a larger diameter of the outer tube  14 . A circumferential flange  92  extends about the perimeter of one end of the left and right end cap inserts  86 ,  88  for engaging the left and right ends  94 ,  96  of the outer and inner tubes  14 ,  12  respectively, to prevent complete insertion therein. Each insert  86 ,  88  includes a longitudinal extending groove  98  that receives the outer tube seam  57  and the inner tube seam  46 , respectively. This engagement fixes the left and right end tube inserts  86 ,  88  for rotation with the outer and inner tubes  14 ,  12  during installation. 
     The left end cap insert  86  includes a left-hand thread  100  in its interior  90 , and the right end cap insert  88  includes a right-hand thread  102  in its interior  90 . The right and left-hand threads  100 ,  102  cooperate with the right and left-hand threading  82 ,  84  of the right and left end cap adjustment screw inserts  72 ,  74 . These threading engagements enable the end caps  16 ,  18  to move away from one another as the tubes  12 ,  14  are rotated during installation. More specifically, the friction between the mounting walls and the end surfaces  64  of the end caps  16 ,  18  limits rotation of the end caps  16 ,  18  as the tubes  12 ,  14  are rotated. The driver  70  of the end caps  16 ,  18  and the sockets  78  lock the left and right end cap adjustment screw inserts  72 ,  74  against rotation relative to the end caps  16 ,  18 . Accordingly, as the tubes  12 ,  14  are rotated toward an installer, the left and right end tube inserts  86 ,  88  are turned, causing the end caps  16 ,  18  to move away from one another, thereby applying force on the mounting surface to further lock the adjustable rod  10  to the mounting walls. Rotating the tubes  12 ,  14  away from the installer causes the end caps to move towards one another, thereby removing force from the mounting surface to uninstall the adjustable rod  10 . The left and right end cap inserts  72 ,  74  may be made (e.g. molded) from a rigid plastic material. 
     To install the adjustable rod  10  with the locking mechanism  20  and the left and right end cap adjustment assemblies  22 ,  24 , the outer tube  14  is held with one’s left hand, and the inner tube  12  is held with one’s right hand. The tubes  12 ,  14  are extended from one another until their respective end caps  16 ,  18  engage the mounting walls. Next, one rotates both the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  in the same direction toward one’s body (i.e., clockwise looking at the right end cap  18 ). This will cause the end caps  16 ,  18  to move away from one another to provide the appropriate force on the mounting walls to secure the adjustable rod  10 . The tubes  12 ,  14  can be rotated in the opposite direction to release the pressure to remove the adjustable rod  10 , such as for repositioning. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  15 - 19   , there is illustrated another embodiment of an adjustment mechanism for the adjustable rod  10 . The adjustment mechanism includes a lock assembly  220  intermediate the end caps  16 ,  18  to lock the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  relative to one another for the coarse adjustment. The adjustment mechanism further includes a left end cap adjustment assembly  222  and a right end cap adjustment assembly  224 . The end cap adjustment assemblies  222 ,  224  provide the fine adjustments to apply the appropriate amount of force against the mounting walls. The end cap assemblies  222  and  224  are identical to the end cap assemblies  22  and  24  discussed above. For the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  15   , the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  are roll formed from metal with a longitudinal welded seam along the inside to secure the rounded cross-section. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  16 - 19   , the lock assembly  220  includes a lock ramp  226 , an inner tube left end insert  228 , and a lock sleeve  230 . The lock ramp  226  and the inner left end insert  228  may be molded from a rigid plastic material. The lock sleeve  230  also may be molded from rigid type plastic but must be flexible enough to expand and provide a sufficient frictional engagement with an inner surface  242  of the outer tube  14  to lock the tubes against relative movement. 
     The lock ramp  226  includes a frusto-conical wedge portion  232  and a threaded portion  234  with a right-hand thread  236 . The wedge portion  232  includes a circumferential flange  238  at its free end and a pair of diametrically opposed grooves  240  extending longitudinally from the flange  238  to the threaded portion  234 . The flange  238  centers the lock ramp  226  in the outer tube  14  and provides a small amount of frictional engagement with an inner surface  242  of the outer tube  14 . The longitudinal grooves  240  guide longitudinal movement of the lock sleeve  230  along the wedge portion  232 . 
     The inner tube left end insert  228  is generally a hollow cylindrical shape with a through hole  244 . The insert  228  fits with a friction fit in a left end  246  of the inner tube  12 . A circumferential flange  248  extends about a perimeter of one end of the insert  228  for engaging the left end  246  of the inner tube  12  to prevent complete insertion therein. The friction engagement in the inner tube  12  fixes the insert  228  against rotation relative to the inner tube  12 . The insert  228  includes a left-hand thread  250  in its interior. The thread  236  of the threaded portion  234  of the lock ramp  226  meshes with the thread  250  of the insert  228 . As the threaded portion  234  is turned into the insert  228 , the lock sleeve  230  expands to lock the tubes  12 ,  14  relative to one another. 
     More specifically, the lock sleeve  230  has an elongated slot  252  along its entire axial length to form a split ring configuration. This enables the lock sleeve  230  to be expanded from a first state that allows relative movement of the tubes  12 ,  14  to a second state to lock the tubes  12 ,  14  against relative movement. The lock sleeve  230  includes a pair of longitudinally extending ribs  254  on its inside that are offset 90 degrees from the slot  252 . The lock sleeve  230  receives the wedge portion  232  of the lock ramp  226  with the ribs  254  in each one of the grooves  240  of the lock ramp  226 . 
     To install the adjustable rod  10  with the locking mechanism  220  and the left and right end cap adjustment assemblies  222 ,  224 , the outer tube  14  is held with one’s left hand, and the inner tube  12  is held with one’s right hand. The tubes  12 ,  14  are extended from one another until their respective end caps  16 ,  18  engage the mounting walls. Then, the outer tube  14  is held stationary with the left hand, and the inner tube  12  is rotated clockwise (when looking at the right end cap  18  - i.e., toward an installer’s body) with the right hand. This causes the threaded engagement between the lock ramp  226  and the insert  228  to draw the wedge portion  232  toward the insert  228  which, in turn, causes the wedge portion  232  to push into the lock sleeve  230  guided by the grooves  240  and ribs  254  and expand the lock sleeve  230 . Once expanded sufficiently, the lock sleeve  230  becomes wedged tightly between the wedge portion  232  and the inner surface  242  of the outer tube  14  causing the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  to be locked against relative movement. 
     Next, one rotates both the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  in the same direction toward the one’s body (i.e., clockwise looking at the right end cap  18 ). This will cause the end caps  16 ,  18  to move away from one another to provide the appropriate force on the mounting wall s to secure the adjustable rod  10 . The tubes  12 ,  14  can be rotated in the opposite direction to release the pressure to remove the adjustable rod  10 , such as for repositioning. 
     With reference to  FIG.  20   , there is illustrated another embodiment of an adjustment mechanism for the adjustable rod  10 . The adjustment mechanism includes a lock assembly  320  intermediate the end caps  316 ,  318  to lock the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  relative to one another for the coarse adjustment. The adjustment mechanism further includes a left end cap adjustment assembly  322  and a right end cap adjustment assembly  324 . The end cap adjustment assemblies  322 ,  324  provide the fine adjustments to apply the appropriate amount of force against the mounting walls. The end cap assemblies  322  and  324  are identical to the end cap assemblies  422  and  424  discussed below. The end caps  316  and  318  are identical to the end caps  416  and  418  discussed below. In alternative embodiments, the end cap assemblies  322  and  324  can be replaced with the end cap assemblies  22  and  24  discussed above and the end caps  316  and  318  are replaced with the end caps  16  and  18  discussed above. For the adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  20   , the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  are roll formed from metal with a longitudinal welded seam along the inside to secure the rounded cross-section. This can be done with a laser to provide a smooth interior and exterior. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  21 - 22   , the lock assembly  320  includes a lock ramp  326 , an inner tube left end insert  328 , and a lock sleeve  330 . The locking assembly  320  operates very similarly to the locking assembly  220  described above. Corresponding parts in the two embodiments share the same last two digits in the reference numbers. The lock ramp  326  and the inner left end insert  328  may be molded from a rigid plastic material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The lock sleeve  330  also may be molded from a rigid type plastic (such as ABS) but must be flexible enough to expand and provide a sufficient frictional engagement with an inner surface of the outer tube to lock the tubes against relative movement. 
     The lock ramp  326  includes a frusto-conical wedge portion  332  and a threaded portion  334  with a right hand thread  336 . The wedge portion  332  includes a groove  340  extending longitudinally from its free end (the left end in  FIGS.  20 - 21   ) to the threaded portion  334 . The longitudinal groove  340  guides longitudinal movement of the lock sleeve  330  along the wedge portion  332 . In alternative embodiments, the lock ramp  326  may include a flange at its free end to help center the lock ramp  326  in the outer tube  14  and provides a small amount of frictional engagement with an inner surface  342  of the outer tube  14 . 
     The lock ramp  326  further includes an annular groove  321  at the end of the threaded portion  334 . The annular groove  321  is defined by the threaded portion  334  and a truncated cone  323 . The truncated cone  323  decreases in diameter further from the annular groove  321  and as it proceeds to its terminal end. It is made out of a deformable material, so that a stop washer  325  can be pushed over the truncated cone  323  to rest in the annular groove  321 . The wide end of the truncated cone  323  prevents the stop washer  325  from separating from the lock ramp  326 . The stop washer  325  has an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of the insert  328 , and thus prevents the insert  328  and the lock ramp  326  from being separated. 
     In assembly, the lock ramp  326  is extended through the lock sleeve  330  and the left end insert  328  so that the truncated cone  323  extends out the end of the left end insert  328  furthest from the frusto-conical wedge portion  332  of the lock ramp  326 . The stop washer  325  is then mounted onto the lock ramp  326 . The cam surface of the truncated cone  323  deforms to allow the stop washer  325  to slip over the edge and into the annular groove  321 . The stop washer  325  may be made of a plastic (such as ABA) so that the inner edge of the stop washer  325  deforms to assist with installing of the stop washer  325  on to the end of the lock ramp  320 . Once in the annular groove  321 , the stop washer  325  abuts the edge of the wide stop surface of the truncated cone  323 . The wide edge of the truncated cone  323  is only slightly, but sufficiently, larger than the hole in the stop washer  325 , so as to prevent the assembly from separating while in use but still allowing easy assembly. Thus, the lock ramp  326  is installed into the insert  328  before installation of the stop washer  325 . 
     The inner tube left end insert  328  has a generally hollow, generally cylindrical shape with a through hole  344 . The insert  328  fits with a friction fit in a left end  346  of the inner tube  12 . An annular flange  348  extends about a perimeter of one end of the insert  328  for engaging the left end  346  of the inner tube  12  to prevent complete insertion therein. An annular protrusion  366  extends from the annular flange  348 . The protrusion  366  includes an annular neck  363  and a terminal, annular lip  364 . The lip snap  364  fits into an annular groove  362  defined by the interior surface of the lock sleeve  330 . This captivates the lock sleeve  330  to the insert  328 . The groove  362  is deep enough so that the lip  364  does not prevent the lock sleeve  330  from contracting when the lock assembly  320  is loosened. The lip  364  extends far enough into the groove  362  that the parts do not decouple when the lock sleeve  330  is fully expanded to lock the tubes  12 ,  14  together. The friction engagement in the inner tube  12  fixes the insert  328  against rotation relative to the inner tube  12 . In alternative embodiments, the insert  328  may include a groove that interacts with a seam of the inner tube  12  to fix the insert  328  against rotation relative to the inner tube  12 . In other alternative embodiments, the inner tube  12  may be spiked to the insert  328  by causing indentation in the inner tube  12  with a punch. The insert  328  includes a left hand thread  350  in its interior. The thread  336  of the threaded portion  334  of the lock ramp  326  meshes with the thread  350  of the insert  328 . 
     The lock sleeve  330  has an elongated slot  352  (see slot  252  in  FIG.  19   ) along its entire axial length to form a split ring configuration. This enables the lock sleeve  330  to be expanded from a first state that allows relative movement of the tubes  12 ,  14  to a second state to lock the tubes  12 ,  14  against relative movement. The lock sleeve  330  includes a longitudinally extending rib  354  on its inside. The lock sleeve  330  receives the wedge portion  332  of the lock ramp  326  with the rib  354  received in the groove  340  of the lock ramp  326  to enable the lock sleeve to rotate with the lock ramp  326 . The engagement between the groove  362  and the lip  364  allows the lock sleeve to rotate relative to the insert  328 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, the insert  328  does not have a circumferential flange  348  sized to prevent insertion of the insert  328  entirely into the tube. In this case, the lock sleeve  330  engages the left end  346  of the inner tube  12 . With the lock sleeve  330  and the insert  328  connected by the lip  364 , the lock sleeve  330  can serve the purpose of the annular flange  348 . 
     As the threaded portion  334  is turned into the insert  328 , the lock sleeve  330  expands to lock the tubes  12 ,  14  relative to one another. As the threaded portion  334  is turned out of the insert  328 , the lock sleeve  330  contracts, allowing the tubes  12 ,  14  to move relative to one another. The coupling of the lip  364  and the groove  362  prevent the lock sleeve  330  from moving with the frusto-conical wedge portion  332  as a result of friction when the tubes  12 ,  14  are free to move longitudinally relative to one another. Because the inner surface of the outer tube  14  and the outer surface of the lock sleeve  330  are smooth, minimal clearance is needed to allow movement of the tubes  12 ,  14  relative to each other. In one embodiment, the diameter of the lock sleeve  330  in an expanded state is between 0.0025 and 0.025 inches larger than the diameter of the lock sleeve  330  in an unexpanded state. As the tubes  12 ,  14  move toward one another, the annular flange  348  prevents the insert  328  from moving relative to the tube  12 . As the tubes  12 ,  14  move apart, the friction between the insert  328  and the tube  12  prevents the insert  328  from moving relative to the tube  12 . The washer  325  couples the lock ramp  326  to the insert  328  to prevent separation of the components. The engagement of the lip  364  with the groove  362  prevents the lock sleeve  330  from decoupling from the insert  328 . As such, the lock assembly  320  is captivated so that adjustment of the adjustable rod  10  will not result in the separation of the components of the lock assembly  320 . 
     To install the adjustable rod  10  with the locking mechanism  320  and the left and right end cap adjustment assemblies  322 ,  324 , the outer tube  14  is held with one’s left hand, and the inner tube  12  is held with one’s right hand. The tubes  12 ,  14  are extended from one another until their respective end caps  316 ,  318  engage the mounting walls. Then, the outer tube  14  is held stationary with the left hand, and the inner tube  12  is rotated clockwise (when looking at the right end cap  318  – i.e., toward an installer’s body) with the right hand. This causes the threaded engagement between the lock ramp  326  and the insert  328  to draw the wedge portion  332  toward the insert  328  which, in turn, causes the wedge portion  332  to push into the lock sleeve  330  guided by the groove  340  and rib  354  and expand the lock sleeve  330 . Once expanded sufficiently, the lock sleeve  330  becomes wedged tightly between the wedge portion  332  and the inner surface  342  of the outer tube  14  causing the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  to be locked against longitudinal relative movement. 
     Next, one rotates both the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  in the same direction toward the one’s body (i.e., clockwise looking at the right end cap  318 ). This will cause the end caps  316 ,  318  to move away from one another to provide the appropriate force on the mounting walls to secure the adjustable rod  10 . The tubes  12 ,  14  can be rotated in the opposite direction to release the pressure to remove the adjustable rod  10 , such as for repositioning. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  23 - 26   , there is illustrated another embodiment of an end cap assembly for the adjustable rod  10 , mentioned above. The end cap assemblies  422 ,  424  shown in  FIG.  23    can be combined in a adjustable rod  10  with any of the locking mechanisms discussed above. 
     In  FIG.  24   , the left end cap  416  and the right end cap  418  are nearly identical. The end caps  416 ,  418  each include an end wall  462  with an outer surface  464  that is generally flat, a tapering outer surface  466  extending away from the outer surface  464  to the other end of the end cap  416 ,  418 , and a cylindrical, hollow interior  468 . The interior surface  468  of the end cap  416  is sized to fit over the outer surface of the outer tube  14  such that friction between the interior surface  468  and outer surface of the outer tube  14  are minimized or eliminated. The interior surface  468  is sized to fit over the outer surface of the inner tube  12  such that friction between the interior surface  468  and outer surface of the inner tube  12  are minimized or eliminated. In addition, the interior surfaces  468  can be made smooth in order to minimize friction between the end caps  464  and the tubes  12 ,  14 . 
     There is an annular groove  470  in the interior  468  of the end cap  416 ,  418  at the end wall  462 . The end caps  416 ,  418  may be made of a rubber type material designed to provide a friction engagement with the mounting walls to prevent the end caps from rotating and walking on the mounting walls during rotation of the tubes for installation. 
     With reference to  FIG.  25   , the left and right end cap assemblies  422 ,  424  include a left and right end cap adjustment screw insert  472 ,  474 , respectively. A head  476  of each screw insert  472 ,  474  includes an outer surface  478  that fits within the annular groove  470  of the end caps  416 ,  418 . The diameter of the head  76  is sized to provide a friction fit with the annular groove  470  of the end caps  416 ,  418 . The friction engagement between the head  476  and the annular groove  470  should be greater than any friction between the interior surface  468  of the end caps  416 ,  418  against tubes  12 ,  14 . Thus, when the adjustable rod  10  is rotated, the friction fixes the end caps  416 ,  418  and the screw inserts  472 ,  474  against rotation. This causes the screw inserts  472 ,  474  to unscrew from the rotating inserts  486 ,  488  causing the expansion of the adjustable rod  10  to fill the gap between the two walls. The friction between the end caps  416 ,  418  and the wall can vary based on the material and design of the end caps  416 ,  418  and/or the walls. Based on the design of the outer surface  464  of the end caps  416 ,  418 , the surface of the head  476  and/or the interior surface  468  of the end caps  416 ,  418  can be altered to adjust the friction therebetween. This includes changing the materials, changing the roughness or smoothness of the surfaces, or adding features such as ridges to increase friction. The left end cap adjustment screw insert  472  includes right hand threading  482 , and the right end cap adjustment screw insert  474  includes left hand threading  484 . The left and right end cap adjustment screw inserts  472 ,  474  may be made (e.g., molded) from a rigid plastic material, such as ABS. 
     With reference to  FIG.  26   , the left and right end cap assemblies  422 ,  424  include a left and right end tube insert  486 ,  488 , respectively. Each insert  486 ,  488  is generally cylindrical with a hollow pass through  490 . The left end cap insert  486  fits with a friction fit in a left end  94  of the outer tube  14 , and the right end cap insert  488  fits in a right end  96  of the inner tube  12  with a friction fit (see, e.g.,  FIG.  2   ). In alternative embodiments, a punch may be used to dent the tubes  12 ,  14  into the inserts  486 ,  488  after insertion in order to further secure them in place. In other alternative embodiments, the tubes  12 ,  14  may include a rolled seam that interacts with a groove in the inserts  486 ,  488  to fix the inserts  486 ,  488  against rotation. An outer diameter of the left end cap insert  486  is slightly larger than that of the right end cap insert  488  to accommodate a larger diameter of the outer tube  14 . An annular flange  492  extends about the perimeter of one end of the left and right end cap inserts  486 ,  488  for engaging the left and right ends  94 ,  96  of the outer and inner tubes  14 , respectively, to prevent complete insertion therein. 
     The left end cap insert  486  includes a left hand thread  491  in its interior  490 , and the right end cap insert  488  includes a right hand thread  493  in its interior  490 . The right and left hand threads  491 ,  493  cooperate with the right and left hand threading  482 ,  484  of the right and left end cap adjustment screw inserts  472 ,  474 . These threading engagements enable the end caps  416 ,  418  to move away from one another as the tubes  12 ,  14  are rotated in the same direction during installation. More specifically, the friction between the mounting walls and the end surfaces  464  of the end caps  416 ,  418  limits rotation of the end caps  416 ,  418  as the tubes  12 ,  14  are rotated. The friction between the interior surface  468  of the end caps  416 ,  418  and the outer surface  478  of the adjustment screw inserts  472 ,  474  lock the left and right end cap adjustment screw inserts  472 ,  474  against rotation relative to the end caps  416 ,  418 . Accordingly, as the tubes  12 ,  14  are rotated toward an installer, the left and right end tube inserts  486 ,  488  are turned causing the end caps  416 ,  418  to move away from one another, thereby applying force on the mounting surface to further lock the adjustable rod  10  to the mounting walls. Rotating the tubes  12 ,  14  away from the installer causes the end caps to move towards one another, thereby removing force from the mounting surface to uninstall the adjustable rod  10 . The left and right end cap inserts may be made, such as molded, from a rigid plastic material, such as ABS. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  27  and  28    there is illustrated a dual-mount end cap system  500 . The dual-mount end cap system  500  receives the ends of the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  of the adjustable rod  10  described above. The dual-mount end cap system  500  can be used with any of the above described adjustment and lock mechanisms for the tubes  12 ,  14 . 
     In general, the dual-mounted end cap system  500  includes a left end cap assembly  501  and a right end cap assembly  502 . The left and right end cap assemblies  501 ,  502  include left and right endcaps  504 ,  506 , left and right threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510 , left and right threaded endcap inserts  512 ,  514 , fasteners  522 ,  524 , and pads  526 ,  528 . The left and right cap inserts  512 ,  514  include a passage  513 ,  515 , a flange  516 ,  518 , a left-hand threaded portion  519  on the left threaded insert  512 , a right-hand threaded portion  520  on the right threaded insert  514 , and a head  568 ,  569 . 
     The threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510  are captivated in part in the outer and inner tubes  14 ,  12 , respectively, by, for example, creating a pair of detents  517 ,  523  in the interior surface of the tubes  14 ,  12  which penetrate a body portion  566 ,  567  of the inserts  508 ,  510  (see  FIG.  32   ) to prevent the inserts  508 ,  510  from becoming separated from the outer and inner tubes  14 ,  12 . While a pair of notches are shown, there may be any number of notches to captivate these parts. There are also ribs  601  on the exterior of the tube inserts  508 ,  510  to provide friction to hold the tube inserts  508 ,  510  in the inner and outer tubes  14 ,  12 . The ribs  601  can deform as the tube inserts  508 ,  510  are inserted to provide a compression fit in the inner and outer tubes  14 ,  12 . 
     The adjustable rod  10  can be set using one of the above adjustment mechanisms to set the tubes  12 ,  14  relative to one another and then can be turned so that the end cap assemblies  526 ,  528  extend outward from the outer tubes  12 ,  14  to tighten against the two surfaces. Alternatively, the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502  can be used by themselves to mount the adjustable rod  10  between two surfaces. That is, the fasteners  522 ,  524  can also be used to pre-mount the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502  to the surfaces. For example, the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502  can be first mounted to the walls at the desired locations with the fasteners  522 ,  524 . Then, the adjustable rod  10  can be expanded and the ends of the tubes  12 ,  14  can be inserted into the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502 . This aids in positioning of the adjustable rod  10  at its desired orientation (e.g., right height, lateral position and level). When the adjustable rod  10  is turned to operate the threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510  and the threaded cap inserts  512 ,  514 , the end caps  504 ,  506  are prevented from moving or walking around on the mounting surfaces. It has been found that the rod  10  can support more weight when use the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502  with the permanent mount fastener  522 ,  524 . This provides some people with additional comfort. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  28 ,  29  and  32   , the left and right threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510  may have a generally cylindrical shape defined by the body portion  566 ,  567  and passages  550 ,  560 . The passages  550 ,  560  can be partially or completely threaded with left- and right-hand threading  555 ,  565  along the length of the interior of the threaded inserts  508 ,  510 , respectively. The left and right threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510  are sized to be received concentrically in a left end  94  of the outer tube  14  and a right end  96  of the inner tube  12 , respectively. Each of the threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510  has an outer diameter that is sized to provide a friction fit with the internal surface of the engaged tube so that rotation of the tube rotates the respective insert  508 ,  510 . One end of each tube insert  508 ,  510  includes a radially extending flange  580 ,  581  to engage the ends of the tubes  12 ,  14  to prevent the tube inserts  508 ,  510  from being completely inserted into the tubes  12 ,  14 . There also may be additional inter-engagements formed between the tubes  12 ,  14  and the tube inserts  508 ,  510 . For instance, the tubes  12 ,  14  may include detents  517 ,  523  that penetrate the tube inserts  508 ,  510  to lock the insert  508 ,  510  against rotational and translational movement. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  29  and  30   , the cap inserts  512 ,  514  each include an inboard end  557 ,  558  and an outboard end or head  568 ,  569 . Passages  513 ,  515  of the end cap inserts  512 ,  514  are configured to receive and guide the fasteners  522 ,  524 . More specifically, each fastener  522 ,  524  may include a head  551 ,  552  for driving the fastener  522 ,  524  into a wall structure (see  FIG.  28   ). The diameter of the passages  513 ,  515  may be just slightly larger than the head  551 ,  552  of the fasteners  522 ,  524 . The cap inserts  512 ,  514  each include a radially extending flange  516 ,  518  inboard of the head  568 ,  569 . The flanges  516 ,  518  can rest against an internal end structure or surface  556 ,  559  of the end caps  504 ,  506 . Since the tubes  12 ,  14  have different outer diameters, the left threaded cap insert  512  may be scaled larger than the right threaded cap insert  514 . This is the same for the left and right tube inserts  508 ,  510 . In another embodiment, the left end cap insert  512  may be shortened so to, for example, include only the threaded portion (see  FIG.  31   ). 
     The left and right threaded portions  519 ,  520  of the left and right threaded cap inserts  512 ,  514  include left-hand threads  573  and right-hand threads  574 , respectively, which cooperate with the left- and right-hand threads  555 ,  565  of the left and right tube inserts  508 ,  510 . Thus, the adjustable rod  10  only needs to be turned in one direction to tighten and loosen the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502 . The flanges  580 ,  581  of the left and right threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510  (see  FIG.  32   ) may engage the flanges  516 ,  518  of the left and right threaded cap inserts  512 ,  514 , respectively 
     In one embodiment, the following exemplary dimensions may be used. The inner tube  12  may have an inner diameter of approximately 0.875 inches, while the outer tube  14  may have an inner diameter of approximately 1 inch. The left threaded tube insert  508 , sized to be received by the outer tube  14 , may have an outer diameter of approximately 0.99 inches at the flange  580  and of approximately 0.95 inches at the portion received by the outer tube  14 . The threaded tube insert  510 , sized to be received by the inner tube  12 , may have an outer diameter of approximately 0.89 inches at the flange  581 , and a diameter of approximately 0.83 inches at the portion received in the tube  12 . The passages  550 ,  560  of the threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510  may have a diameter of approximately 0.69 inches, and the threads  555 ,  565  may have a diameter of approximately 0.55 inches. The length of the threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510  may be approximately 0.85 inches. 
     The diameter of the left and right pads  526 ,  528  may be approximately 1.89 inches in diameter, wherein the concentric holes  572 ,  576  may have a diameter of approximately 0.5 inches. The pads  526 ,  528  may have a thickness of approximately 0.12 inches. The pads  526 ,  528 , however, may have differing diameters. 
     With references to  FIGS.  28  and  30   , the heads  568 ,  569  of the cap inserts  512 ,  514  include holes  577 ,  578 , respectively. The interior portions  513 ,  515  of the cap inserts  512 ,  514  extend from the inboard ends  557 ,  558  to the holes  577 ,  578 . The fasteners  522 ,  524  are received in the inboard ends  557 ,  558  of the cap inserts  512 ,  514 . A shaft portion  561 ,  562  of the fasteners  522 ,  524  can extend through the holes  577 ,  578  in the heads  568 ,  569  (see  FIG.  28   ). The cross-section of the holes  577 ,  578  is preferably less than the cross-section of the interior portions  513 ,  515  so that the heads  551 ,  552  of the fasteners  522 ,  524  can bottom out at a transition  588 ,  591  between the interior portions  513 ,  515  and the holes  577 ,  578 . 
     The holes  577 ,  578  may be oval, circular, triangular, or square. The head  568 ,  569  of the end caps  512 ,  514  may be circular, or square. The flanges  516 ,  518  may be hexagonal or circular. 
     With regard to  FIGS.  27 ,  28 ,  29 ,  33  and  34   , the left and right end caps  504  and  506  include holes  570  and  575 , respectively. The holes  570  and  575  form an internally faced socket portion  583 ,  584  to receive the heads  568 ,  569  of the threaded cap inserts  512 ,  514 . The heads  568 ,  569  may be externally faced to correspond to the internally faced socket portions  583 ,  584  so that the cap inserts  512 ,  514  and the end caps  504 ,  506  are locked against rotation relative to one another. The faces may be a single face or may take on any multiple face configuration, such as hexagonal, rectangular, triangular, etc. 
     The shaft portion  561 ,  562  of the fasteners  522 ,  524  can extend through the holes  570 ,  575 . The left and right end caps  504 ,  506  further include a circular recess  582 ,  585  for receiving the pads  526 ,  528 . The pads  526 ,  528  can be retained in the recesses  582 ,  585  with a friction fit, adhesive or weld. The outer profile of the end caps  504 ,  506  may have a diamond shape. Alternatively, the outer profile can take on other shapes, such as a conical shape of end caps  604 ,  606  of  FIG.  36   . The end caps  504 ,  506  and end caps  604 ,  606  are interchangeable in the dual mount end cap system  500 . 
     The fasteners  522 ,  524  can be separate from the threaded cap inserts  512 ,  514  or can be captivated in the left and right threaded cap inserts  512 ,  514  so that they are always contained in the system whether used or not. To captivate the fasteners  522 ,  524 , one method might include a slight narrowing of the inboard end  557 ,  558  of the cap inserts  512 ,  514 , such as after the fasteners  522 ,  524  have been placed therein, while leaving enough room for a tool to access the head  551 ,  552  of the fasteners  522 ,  524 . Alternatively, the fasteners  522 ,  524  can be partially inserted into the head  568 ,  569  of the cap inserts  512 ,  514  or the end caps  504 ,  506  with a friction fit or a frangible connection or a series of tabs extending inward in the cap inserts to engage the fastener. The fasteners may be a screw, nail, molly-type or any other conventional fastener that includes a shaft and drive head. 
     Regarding  FIGS.  28 ,  29  and  34   , the pads  526 ,  528  may include holes  572 ,  576 . The holes  572 ,  576  are aligned with the holes  570 ,  575  of the left and right end caps  504 ,  506 , respectively. The fasteners  522 ,  524  extend through the holes  572 ,  576 . Alternatively, the pads  526 ,  528  may lack a hole for the fasteners (see, e.g., pads  608 ,  610  of  FIG.  36   ). Instead, the fasteners may be capable of self-taping or creating the holes as the fasteners are inserted through the pads, such as turning of a screw type fastener. Further, the holes also may be pre-drilled using a conventional drill and drill bit or pre-punched. 
     The left and right end caps  504 ,  506  further include interior portions  590 ,  595 . Interior portions  590 ,  595  are sized to receive the outer and inner tubes  14 ,  12 . The interior surfaces of the interior portions  590 ,  595  contact the exterior surface of the outer and inner tubes  14 ,  12 , respectively. More specifically, the interior portions  590 ,  595  are sized to fit over the outer surfaces of the outer and inner tubes  14 ,  12  with a slight friction fit so that there is minimal or no play between the two, but so that the tubes  12 ,  14  can be easily rotated in their respective end caps  506 ,  504  to operate the threaded engagement between the tube inserts  508 ,  510  and the cap inserts  512 ,  514 . The interior surfaces  590 ,  595  can be made smooth in order to minimize friction between the end caps  504 ,  506  and the tubes  14 ,  12 . 
     With respect to  FIGS.  28 - 31  and  34   , the left and right end caps  504 ,  506 , include radial petals  713 ,  715 . The radial petals  713 ,  715  include ramped surfaces  714 ,  716 , flat surfaces  718 ,  720 , and stepped surfaces  722 ,  724 . The inboard ends  568 ,  569  of the end cap inserts  512 ,  514  include ridges  725  and  727  which include ramped surfaces  726 ,  728  and flat surfaces  730 ,  732 , and neck portions  734 ,  736 . When the user pushes the end cap inserts  512 ,  514  into the end caps  504 ,  506 , the ramped surfaces  726 ,  728  of the inserts  512 ,  514  slide along the ramped surfaces  714 ,  716  of the radial petals  713 ,  715 . When the ridges  725 ,  727  are through the holes  570 ,  575 , the stepped surfaces  722 ,  724  of the radial petals  713 ,  715  contact the neck portions  734 ,  736  of the end cap inserts  512 ,  514 , forming a snap fit interconnection, and thus, retain the end cap inserts  512 ,  514  in the end caps  504 ,  506  to prevent rotational motion of the inserts  512 ,  514  relative to the end caps  504 ,  506 . The flat surfaces  730 ,  732  of the ridges  725 ,  727  come in contact with the flat surfaces  718 ,  720  of the radial petals  713 ,  715  to prevent the inserts  512 ,  514  from moving back through the holes  570 ,  575 . 
     With respect to  FIG.  45   , there is shown an alternative end cap  690  having an insert  692  fixed thereto as a single piece component. The end cap includes an interior portion  694 , which houses the insert  692 , an annular interior surface  695  and a circular recess  696  for receiving a pad, such as the pads  526 ,  528  in  FIG.  29   . The annular interior surface  695  has a diameter selected to receive the inner or outer tube  12 ,  14  with, preferably, a slight engaging fit that enables the tube to rotate therein but not wobble. The insert  692  includes an inboard end  698  for receiving a fastener, such as the fasteners  522 ,  524  in  FIG.  29   , a threaded portion  700 , including threads  702 , an interior portion  704  for guiding the fastener, a transition  706 , a through hole  708  for receiving a shank of the fastener and aligned with a hole in the pad (see  FIG.  29   ), and connections  710  wherein the insert  692  is connected to the end cap  690 . The threads  702  are left handed if the end cap  690  is the left end cap, and right handed if the end cap  690  is the right end cap. The insert  692  and the interior surface  695  of the end cap  690  are sufficiently distanced such that there is an annular gap  712  between them. The annular gap  712  provides room to enable the tube inserts, such as tube inserts  508 ,  510 , to thread on to the insert  692 . The insert  692  can be molded as part of the end cap to be single, unitary component, or it can be glued or welded to the end cap to be a single, unitary component. Since the insert  692  is a unitary component with the end cap, there is no relative rotation between the insert  692  and the end cap. The other features of the end caps discussed above can used with the end cap  692 . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  37 - 44   , there is illustrated an alternative lock assembly  620 . The lock assembly  620  provides a stop system to prevent the lock assembly  620  from becoming stuck in the fully unlocked position. The lock assembly  620  may be used with any of the rod assemblies disclosed herein and any other telescopic rod assemblies. 
     The lock assembly  620  includes a lock ramp  622 , an inner tube insert  624 , and a lock sleeve  626 . The lock ramp  622  and the inner tube insert  624  may be molded from any rigid material, including a rigid plastic material. The lock sleeve  626  also may be molded from any rigid material, including plastic, but must be flexible enough to expand as it moves along the lock ramp  622  and provide a sufficient frictional engagement with an inner surface of the outer tube to lock the tubes against relative movement. 
     The lock ramp  622  includes a frusto-conical wedge portion  628  at one end and a threaded portion  630  with a right-hand thread  631 . The wedge portion  628  includes a groove  632  extending longitudinally along the length of the wedge portion  628 . A head  634  is at the other end of the lock ramp  622  and includes a stop  636  (see  FIG.  39   ) at the other end. The longitudinal groove  632  guides longitudinal movement of the lock sleeve  626  along the wedge portion  628 . The stop  636  prevents rotation of the insert  624  relative to the threaded portion  630  of the lock ramp  622  so that the insert  624  does not overtighten against the head  634 . 
     The inner tube insert  624  has a generally hollow cylindrical shape and includes a male component  638  and a female component  640 . When the male component  638  and the female component  640  are mated to form the insert  624 , the components  638 ,  640  from passage  641  through the insert  624 . The insert  624  fits with a friction fit in the left end of the inner tube  12  (see, e.g.,  FIG.  15   ). The insert  624  can further be captivated in the inner tube  12  by one or more notches or detents formed in the wall of the inner tube that penetrate the outer surface of the insert  624 , like the notches  517  in  FIG.  28   . The engagement between the insert  624  and the inner tube  12  prevents rotation of the insert  624  relative to the tube  12 . 
     The male component  638  includes protrusions  642 , a first circumferential flange  644 , a second circumferential flange  646 , an annular groove  648  formed between the first circumferential flange  644  and the second circumferential flange  646 , a threaded portion  650  having left hand threads  651 , and exterior longitudinally extending ribs  652 , which provide a better friction fit between the insert  624  and the inner tube  12 . The female component  640  includes recesses  654 , a first circumferential flange  656 , a second circumferential flange  658 , an annular groove  660 , a threaded portion  662 , having left hand threads  663 , exterior longitudinally extending ribs  664 , which provide a friction fit between the insert  624  and the inner tube  12 , and a stop  667 , which engages the stop  636  of the lock ramp  622  upon unlocking the lock mechanism  620 . 
     The recesses  654  of the female component  640  receive the protrusions  642  of the male component  638 , such that the components  638 ,  640  may be combined to form the insert  624 . The protrusions  642  may have a friction fit in the recesses  654  or may be glued or welded in the recesses. While four protrusions and recesses are shown, it should be understood that there may be more or less than four of each. 
     The second circumferential flanges  646 ,  658  combine to form a single annular flange that extend about a perimeter of one end of the insert  624  for engaging an end of the inner tube  12 , such as the left end  246  of the inner tube  12  (see  FIG.  15   ) to prevent complete insertion therein. The left hand threads  651 ,  663  combine to form a single thread, such that turning the insert  624  toward the user locks the assembly  620  and turning the insert  624  away from the user unlocks the assembly  620 . The thread  631  of the threaded portion  630  of the lock ramp  622  meshes with the threads  651 ,  663  of the insert  624 . The first circumferential flanges  644 ,  656  combine to form a single annular flange. The lock sleeve  626  includes an annular groove  672  that receives the annular flange formed by the first circumferential flanges  644 ,  656  of the insert  624 . The lock sleeve  626  includes an interior flange  674  which in received in a single annular groove formed by the annular grooves  648 ,  660  of the insert  624 , thus connecting the insert  624  and the lock sleeve  626 . As the threaded portion  630  of the lock ramp  622  is turned into the insert  624 , the lock sleeve  626  expands to lock the tubes  12 ,  14  against movement relative to one another. The expansion of the lock sleeve  626  is not to an extent that would cause the attachment between the lock sleeve  626  and the insert  624  to become disconnected. 
     The lock sleeve  626  has an elongated slot  668  along its entire axial length to form a split configuration. This enables the lock sleeve  626  to be expanded from a first state that allows relative movement of the tubes  12 ,  14  to a second state to lock the tubes  12 ,  14  against relative movement. The lock sleeve  626  includes a longitudinally extending rib  670  on its interior that is offset 180 degrees from the slot  668 . The lock sleeve  626  receives the wedge portion  628  of the lock ramp  622  with the rib  670  in the groove  632  of the lock ramp  622 . Operation of the alternative lock assembly  620  is the same as that described above for the lock assembly of  FIG.  21   . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  43  and  44   , the stop  667  is on the portion of the insert  624  facing the head  634  of the lock ramp  622 . The stop  667  is configured as a ramp with a stepped surface  678  and a ramped surface  676 . The stop  636  is on the head  634  of the lock ramp  622  at the end of the threaded portion  630 . More specifically, the stop  636  is formed by a radial flange  680   about a portion of the head  634 . The radial flange  680  may extend about 180 degrees around the head  634 . The insert  624  and the threaded portion  630  of the lock ramp  622  reside in the inner tube  12 , and when locking the tubes  12 ,  14 , the stop  667  of the insert disengages the stop  636  of the lock ramp  622 . If the locking mechanism  620  is in the fully unlocked position, the radial flange  680  may slide along the ramped surface  676  during the first and/or additional twists of the threaded portion  630  in the locking direction so that the flange  680  does not get caught on the stop  667  as the stop  636  rotates away from the stop  667 . 
     When the user loosens the adjustable rod  10  by rotating the inner tube  12  counterclockwise, thus operating the left-hand threads  651 ,  663  of the insert  624 , the stop  667  of the insert  624  moves toward the head  634  of the lock ramp  622 . The insert  624  rotates until the stop  667  engages the stop  636  of the head  634 . The stops  636 ,  667  are rigid and prohibit further rotation of the insert  624  and the lock ramp  622  relative to one another. The relative circumferential location of the stop  636  and the lock ramp  622  may be positioned to leave a small gap  682  between the insert  624  and the head  634  when the insert  624  is rotated to its fully unlocked position. This ensures that the insert  624  and head  634  will not become stuck together and resist or even prevent rotation in the locking direction. 
     The following describes an exemplary method of installation. The user will be provided with the adjustable tubes  12 ,  14 , the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502  attached to the ends of the tubes  12 ,  14 , and the fasteners  522 ,  524 . These components may be packaged together as a kit. The kit may also include tools, such as a measuring device and a driver for the fastener  522 ,  524  to help install the rod. To install the rod, the user first identifies the location for the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502 . This can be done by measuring the height from the floor and the distance from an adjacent wall or other structure. Once the locations are identified, the user then mounts the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502 . If the end cap assemblies  501 ,  502  are pre-mounted to the tubes  12 ,  14 , they must be detached by unthreading the end cap inserts  512 ,  514  from the tube inserts  508 ,  510 . 
     Next, the user aligns the hole  577 ,  578  in the head  568 ,  569  of the cap inserts  512 ,  514 , and the opening  570 ,  575  in the end cap  504 ,  506  and the pad  526 ,  528  with the identified mounting location. Then, the shaft of the fastener  522 ,  524  is inserted through these aligned holes and into the mounting surface. Alternatively, the user can extend the fasteners  522 ,  524  through the aligned holes of the head hole  577 ,  578  in the head  568 ,  569  of the cap inserts  512 ,  514 , and the opening  570 ,  575  in the end cap  504 ,  506  and the pad  526 ,  528 . Then, the user aligns the tip of fastener with the mounting location. 
     The user can adjust the depth of insertion of the fastener  522 ,  524  into the mounting surface to achieve the desired tightness of the end caps  504 ,  506  on the mounting surface. Depending on the type of fastener, a tool can be used with the head of the fastener to insert the fastener into the mounting structure. For instance, a screw driver can be used with a screw or a punch can be used with a hammer for a nail. Also, if the pad is not pre-formed with a hole, then a hole may be added before aligning the end cap assembly with the location on the mounting surface. 
     Next, the inner tube  12  and the outer tube  14  are extended in opposite directions toward the respective end cap assemblies  501 ,  502  until the threaded inserts  508 ,  510  in the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  engage the threaded rods  512 ,  514  in the end caps  504 ,  506 . The threaded tube inserts  508 ,  510  are sufficiently threaded with the threaded cap inserts  512 ,  514  by rotating the tubes  12 ,  14  in the same direction and toward the user until the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  are sufficiently seated in the end caps  504 ,  506 . While not necessary when using the pre-mounted end caps, the user may lock the tubes  12 ,  14  against longitudinal movement relative to each other by engaging the locking mechanisms discussed above. 
     Finally, one rotates both the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  in the same direction and toward the user (i.e., clockwise looking down the inner tube  12  at the right end cap  506 ) to operate the left hand threads  555 ,  573  of the left threaded tube insert  508  and left threaded cap insert  512  and the right hand threads  565 ,  574  of the right threaded tube insert  510  and the right threaded cap insert  514 . This will cause the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  to apply pressure to the end caps  504 ,  506  to tighten the end caps  504 ,  506  on the mounting surfaces and further secure the extendable rod  10 . Sufficient pressure of the end caps  504 ,  506  against the mounting surface can be achieved to secure the extendable rod  10  without the use of the fasteners  522 ,  524  such that the fasteners are optional. 
     In some embodiments, the fasteners  522 ,  524  will be separate from the threaded cap inserts  512 ,  514 . In other embodiments, the fasteners  522 ,  524  may be pre-attached (such as at the factory) to their respective end cap to simplify installation. The inboard ends  557 ,  558  of the threaded cap inserts  512 ,  514 , may have one or more protrusions in the passage  513 ,  515  to prevent the fastener  522 ,  524  from being removed from the passage  513 ,  515  of the threaded cap insert  512 ,  514 . In further embodiments, the inboard ends  557 ,  558  may have a frangible connection with the fastener  522 ,  524 , such that when contacted with enough force, the connection between the fastener  522 ,  524  and the inboard end  557 ,  558  breaks, allowing the user to push the fastener  522 ,  524  through the through holes  577 ,  578  and the opening  570 ,  575 . Also, in additional embodiments, the holes  577 ,  578  or openings  570 ,  575  of the end cap assembly  501 ,  502  may be initially smaller in diameter than the fastener (e.g., the screw or nail shaft) so that the fastener can be preset at least partially in one or more of the holes  577 ,  578  and the openings  570 ,  575  if desired. For instance, a screw could be partially threaded into the holes  577 ,  578 . In even further embodiments, the fastener  522 ,  524  may be a molly-type fastener installed in the mounting surface. 
     When using the locking mechanism  620 , the user holds the outer tube  14  stationary and rotates the inner tube  12  clockwise. This causes the threaded engagement between the lock ramp  622  and the insert  624  to draw the wedge portion  628  toward the insert  624  which, in turn, causes the wedge portion  628  to push into the lock sleeve  626  guided by the groove  632  and rib  670  and expand the lock sleeve  626 . Once expanded sufficiently, the lock sleeve  626  becomes wedged tightly between the wedge portion  628  and the inner surface  242  of the outer tube  14  (see, e.g.,  FIG.  15   ) causing the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  to be locked against relative movement. 
     Next, one rotates both the inner and outer tubes  12 ,  14  in the same direction toward the one’s body (i.e., clockwise looking at the right end cap  506 ). This will cause the end caps  504 ,  506  to move away from one another to provide the appropriate force on the mounting walls to secure the adjustable rod  10 . The tubes  12 ,  14  can be rotated in the opposite direction to release the pressure to remove the adjustable rod  10 , such as for repositioning or removal. Rotation in the opposite direction is limited by the stop  636  on the head  634  and the lock ramp  622  engaging another to prevent the insert  624  form becoming jammed on the head  634 . 
     It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts and components which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the systems and operations may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the subject matter expressed in the appended claims. Furthermore, while various features have been described in connection with particular embodiments, it will be appreciated that features described for one embodiment also may be incorporated with the other described embodiments.