Abstract:
Shower curtain tension rods comprising a stationary rod, movable rod and adjustable end cap are disclosed. The movable rod may telescope in the stationary rod and may be secured in an axially extended position with respect to the stationary rod. The adjustable end cap may be axially extended from the movable rod and/or stationary rod to provide greater holding force for the tension rod. The shower curtain tension rods may be installed quickly and easily in various sizes of bath and shower stalls.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/361,735 filed Jul. 6, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to shower curtain tension rods for installation in bath and shower stalls. 
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0003]    Conventional tension rods for shower curtains are very clumsy to put up, requiring many rotations to twist them to the desired length. Further, as they are tightenened, the rubber type caps move from their intended position. This movement is often referred to as walking. The shower curtain tension rods of the present invention overcome the cumbersome installation associated with conventional tension rods. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides improved shower curtain tension rods that are faster and easier to install in comparison with conventional rods. 
         [0005]    An aspect of the present invention is to provide a shower curtain tension rod comprising a stationary rod having an end cap adjacent an end thereof, a movable rod axially movable with respect to the stationary rod having another end cap adjacent an end thereof, and a locking mechanism for securing the movable rod in a desired axial position with respect to the stationary rod, wherein at least one of the end caps is axially adjustable and comprises a contact member rotatably mounted on the at least one end cap structured and arranged to contact a wall of a bath or shower stall. 
         [0006]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an adjustable end cap for a shower curtain tension rod comprising a cap body, a threaded fastener fixedly mounted on the cap body, and a contact member rotatably mounted on the cap body. 
         [0007]    A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism for a shower curtain tension rod comprising a stationary rod, a telescoping rod axially movable with respect to the stationary rod, and a locking mechanism for securing the telescoping rod in a desired axial position with respect to the stationary rod, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pin fixedly mounted on an end of the telescoping rod and positioned inside the stationary rod, and a locking cam head mounted on the pin structured and arranged to engage an inner surface of the stationary rod to thereby secure the telescoping rod in a selected axial position with respect to the stationary rod. 
         [0008]    These and other aspects of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a shower curtain tension rod in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are side views of an adjustable end cap for a shower curtain tension rod in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view showing the components of an adjustable end cap for a shower curtain tension rod in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view and  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the body of an end cap in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view and  FIG. 8  is an end view showing the opposite side of the end cap body of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
           [0014]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are end views, and  FIG. 11  is a side view, of a retainer that may be installed in an end cap in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 12 and 13  are end views, and  FIG. 14  is a side view, of a rotatable end disk that may be mounted on an end cap in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 15  is a side sectional view illustrating the rotatable end disk of  FIGS. 12-14  rotatably mounted on the retainer of  FIGS. 9-11 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 16  is a side sectional view of the end portion of a stationary end cap including a rotatable contact disk in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 17  is a side view, and  FIG. 18  is an isometric view, of a torsional locking mechanism for securing a telescoping rod in position with respect to a stationary rod in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 19  is an isometric view, and  FIG. 20  is an end view, of a locking cam sleeve that is a component of the torsional locking mechanism shown in  FIG. 17 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a shower curtain tension rod  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The tension rod  10  includes a hollow stationary rod  12  and a hollow telescoping rod  14  having a slightly smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of the stationary rod  12 . The telescoping rod  14  is axially movable with respect to the stationary rod  12 . The stationary and telescoping rods  12  and  14  may be made of any suitable material, such as metal or the like. A cylindrical bushing  16  made of plastic or other suitable material is partially inserted inside the end of the stationary rod  12  with a portion extending therefrom and surrounding the telescoping rod  14 . The overall length of the tension rod  10  may typically range from 24 to 90 inches. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , an adjustable end cap  20  is mounted on an end of the telescoping rod  14 , while a stationary end cap  60  is mounted on end of the stationary rod  12 . Alternatively, the adjustable end cap  20  could be mounted on the end of the stationary rod  12 . As more fully described below, each of the end caps  20  and  60  has a disk-shaped contact member  58  and  64 , respectively, which contact the walls of the bath or shower stall (not shown) in which the shower curtain tension rod  10  is mounted. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  illustrates the adjustable end cap  20  in a partially extended position in which the threaded portion  34  of a bolt secured in the adjustable end cap  20  is threadably engaged in a threaded hole  18  at the end of the telescoping rod  14 . In  FIG. 3 , the adjustable end cap  20  has been disengaged from the telescoping rod  14  by unscrewing the threaded portion  34  from the threaded hole  18 . Although the adjustable end cap  20  is threadably mounted on the telescoping rod  14  by means of the threaded bolt  34  in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , it is to be understood that any other suitable threaded arrangement may be used in accordance with the present invention, including a threaded portion integrally formed with the remainder of the end cap  20 , or the use of a threaded nut or threaded hole in the end cap  20  and a threaded shaft extending from the end of the telescoping rod  14 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view showing the components of the adjustable end cap  20 . The adjustable end cap  20  includes a generally cylindrical cap body  22 , a threaded bolt  30 , a retainer  40  and a rotatable end disk  50 . The bolt  30  includes a head  32  and threaded portion  34 . Although a hex-head bolt is shown, it is to be understood that any other suitable bolt or mechanical fastener design may be used in accordance with the present invention. As more fully described below, the bolt  30  is held in a stationary position in relation to the cap body  22 . The various components of the end cap  20  may be made of any suitable materials such as plastic, metal and the like. For example, the cap body  22  may be made of polypropylene and the bolt  30  may be made of metal. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 5-8  illustrate details of the cap body  22  of the adjustable end cap  20 .  FIGS. 5 and 6  show the outermost end of the cap body  22 , while  FIGS. 7 and 8  show the opposite end of the cap body  22  that is located adjacent to the telescoping rod  14  when the tension rod is assembled. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a hexagonal bolt head holder  24  in the form of a recessed hexagonal pocket is provided at the center of the cap body  22 . The holder  24  includes a central opening  25  through which the threaded portion  34  of the bolt  30  passes. Support arms  26  extend between the interior surface of the generally cylindrical cap body  22  to the exterior surface of the holder  24 . Three openings  27  are provided in corresponding sides of the hexagonal holder  24  to provide engagement edges for the finger clips  44  of the retainer  40 . After the head  34  of the bolt  30  mounted inside the hexagonal holder  24 , the retainer  40  is inserted through the outside end of the cap body  22  to thereby lock the bolt  30  in place. This is accomplished by the finger clips  44 , wherein the arms  45  flex radially outward as the retainer  40  is inserted in the cap body  22  until the locking tabs  46  of the finger clips  44  snap into place in the openings  27  for engagement with the holder  24 . In this manner, the retainer  40  is held in a stationary position and does not rotate or move in an axial direction with respect to the cap body  22 . 
         [0025]    As shown most clearly in FIGS.  4  and  9 - 11 , the retainer  40  includes a generally disk-shaped cylindrical body  42  with three finger clips  44  extending from one surface thereof. Each finger clip  44  includes a flexible arm  45  and a locking tab  46 . As shown most clearly in  FIGS. 4 and 10 , an annular projection with a central hole  48  is located at the center of the cap body  22 . The annular projection and hole  48  are used to rotatably mount the end disk  50  thereon, as more fully described below. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 1244 , the rotatable end disk  50  includes a support disk  52  made of relatively rigid material such as plastic or any other suitable material. For example, the support disk  52  may be made of polypropylene, polyethylene or the like. A mounting assembly  54  includes two flexible mounting fingers  56  that extend from the surface of the support disk  52 . An elastomeric contact disk  58  is secured to one surface of the support disk  52  by any suitable means such as adhesive. The elastomeric contact disk may be made of any suitable elastomeric material such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, foam, resilient polymers and the like. The contact disk  58  may have a relatively high friction coefficient to help secure the tension rod  10  in position when it is installed in a bath or shower stall. 
         [0027]      FIG. 15  is a side sectional view illustrating the rotatable mounting arrangement of the end disk  50  on the retainer  40 . In the position shown in  FIG. 15 , the flexible mounting fingers  56  of the end disk  50  have been inserted into the central hole  48  of the retainer  40  with their end tabs engaging the edge of the annular projection. In this position, the interior surface of the support disk  52  contacts the exterior surface of the retainer body  42 . However, the end disk  50  is rotatable around its central axis with respect to the retainer  40  because the flexible mounting fingers  56  of the mounting assembly  54  have a sufficient tolerance with respect to the central hole  48  of the annular projection of the retainer  40 , e.g., a clearance space is provided between the inner surface of the central hole  58  and the fingers  56 , or any contact between the inner surface of the hole  58  and fingers  56  is of relatively minor force which permits the end disk to rotate. Thus, while the rotatable end disk  50  may be snap-fit onto the retainer  40 , the fit is such that the end disk  50  is still able to rotate with respect to the retainer  40 . As will be appreciated, when the assembled retainer  40  and rotatable end disk  50  as shown in  FIG. 15  are installed inside the cap body  22 , the retainer  40  is held in a stationary position in relation to the cap body  22  while the end disk  50  is free to rotate with respect to the cap body  22 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 16  is a side sectional view of the end portion of a stationary end cap  60  that may be mounted on the end of the stationary rod  12  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The stationary end cap  60  includes a generally cylindrical body  62  having an elastomeric contact disk  64  mounted thereon. The elastomeric contact disk  64  may be held in a stationary position in relation to the body  62 . However, in a preferred embodiment, the elastomeric contact disk  64  is rotatable in relation to the body  62  of the stationary end cap  60 . A mounting projection  66  extends from the inner surface of the contact disk  64 . A mounting disk  68  having a central mounting hole  69  is secured to the body  62  of the stationary end cap  60 . Sufficient tolerance may be provided between the cylindrical outer surface of the mounting projection  66  and the mounting hole  69  such that the contact disk  64  is free to rotate with respect to the body  62  of the stationary end cap  60 . The elastomeric contact disk  64  may be made of any suitable material such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, foam, resilient polymers and the like. The contact disk  64  may have a relative high friction coefficient to help secure the tension rod  10  in position when it is installed. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 17 and 18  illustrate a torsional locking mechanism  70  for locking the stationary rod  12  and telescoping rod  14  together in a desired position in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Although not shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , the torsional locking mechanism  70  mounted on the end of the telescoping rod  14  is positioned inside the stationary tube  12  when the tension rod  10  is assembled. The torsional locking mechanism  70  includes a locking pin  72  having a locking cam head  74  at the end thereof. The locking pin  72  is mounted on the end of the telescoping rod  14  by means of a support flange  76  having a central opening that receives the locking pin  72 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , the pin  72  may reciprocate slightly into the rod  14 . A compression spring  78  surrounds the locking pin  72  and presses against the support flange  76  on the telescoping rod  14  and an annular flange  80  of the locking head  74 . The compression spring  78  thus forces the locking pin  72  axially outward from the telescoping rod  14  to provide tension for the shower curtain rod. The locking pin  72  reciprocates in the support flange  76  a relatively short distance, e.g., less than about 0.5 inch, typically less than about 0.25 inch. 
         [0030]    In another embodiment, the pin  72  is fixedly mounted at the end of the telescoping rod, and the spring  78  is removed. Such a non-reciprocating pin design provides a relatively rigid structure that may increase the holding power of the tension rod  10 . For example, the tension rod  10  may hold greater than 25 pounds of weight in comparison with prior spring designs that may hold only 15 to 18 pounds. 
         [0031]    The locking cam head  74  includes the annular flange  80  and an end flange  86 . The locking head  74  includes two cam surfaces  82  extending between the annular flange  80  and end flange  86  having non-circular, helical surfaces. One of the cam surfaces  82  is shown in each of  FIGS. 17 and 18 , with the other cam surface located 180° around the circumference of the locking head  74 . The locking head  74  includes two stop surfaces  84  extending between the annular flange  80  and end flange  86 . Each stop surface  84  lies substantially in a plane extending radially outward from the central axis of the locking head  74  and defining an interruption or transition between each of the cam surfaces  82 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 17 , a locking cam sleeve  90  is mounted on the locking head  74  between the annular flange  80  and end flange  86 . As shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20 , the locking cam sleeve  90  includes two cam members  92 , each of which has an inner cam surface  94 , an outer contact surface  96  and a stop edge  97 . The cam members  92  are connected together by a thin web  98 . The locking cam sleeve  90  may be made of any suitable flexible or elastomeric material such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, flexible plastic or the like. The locking cam sleeve  90  preferably has a relatively high friction coefficient in order to help secure the telescoping rod  14  in a selected axial position with respect to the stationary rod  12 , as more fully described below. 
         [0033]    The torsional locking mechanism  70  operates as follows. The locking cam sleeve  90  is initially located in a radially retracted position on the locking cam head  74  in which the stop edges  97  of the sleeve  90  are in contact or adjacent to the corresponding stop surfaces  84  of the locking head  74 . The thicker portions of the cam members  92  are adjacent to the radially recessed portion of the cam surfaces  82 . In this radially retracted position, the telescoping rod  14  is free to move axially with respect to the stationary rod  12 . 
         [0034]    During installation, the telescoping rod  14  is extended from the stationary rod  12  to a desired position in which the rotatable end disk  50  and stationary end cap  60  are in initial contact positions against the bath or shower stall walls. In this position, the telescoping rod  14  is then twisted around its longitudinal axis, which rotates the locking cam head  74  inside the stationary rod  12 . Upon such a twisting motion, the outer contact surfaces  96  of the locking cam sleeve  90  contact the inner surface of the stationary rod  12  and frictional forces therebetween hold the locking cam sleeve  90  in a stationary position with respect to the stationary rod  12 , i.e., the locking cam sleeve  90  does not rotate inside the rod  12  with the remainder of the torsional locking mechanism  70 . As the locking cam head  74  rotates inside the stationary rod  12  with the locking cam sleeve  90  remaining in position, the inner cam surfaces  94  of the locking cam sleeve  90  slide in a generally circumferential direction on the cam surfaces  82  of the locking cam head  74 . Due to this relative movement, the cam members  92  move radially outward and press against the inner surface of the stationary rod  12  with sufficient force to lock the cam head  74  into position within the stationary rod  12 . Thus, the telescoping rod  14  and stationary rod  12  are held in position with respect to each other, and the only axial movement therebetween results from compression of the optional spring  78 . This embodiment permits a slight amount of axial movement between the telescoping rod  14  and stationary rod  12  against the force of the spring  78 . Alternatively, in the embodiment in which the spring  78  is eliminated and the pin  72  is fixedly attached to the end of the telescoping rod  14 , essentially no axial movement occurs between the stationary and telescoping rods  12  and  14 . 
         [0035]    With the torsional locking mechanism  70  in the locked position, the adjustable end cap  20  may be rotated with respect to the telescoping rod  14 , thereby extending the adjustable end cap  20  into the installed position in which the shower curtain tension rod  10  is securely mounted in a bath or shower stall. 
         [0036]    The shower curtain tension rods of the present invention overcome the cumbersome installation associated with conventional tension rods. The rotatable end disk  50  on the adjustable end cap  20  prevents the tension rod from walking on the wall during installation. The internal torsional locking mechanism  70  provides improved stability. 
         [0037]    An important benefit of the tension rods of the present invention is much improved simplicity of installation. The result is an installation time of about 10 seconds or less versus approximately 1 minute with the existing products. Furthermore, the present tension rods create a much quieter product due to the elimination of the long spring and screw mechanism used in existing products on the market. The present tension rods are also capable of holding more weight than conventional tension rods. The rods are suitable for residential use, hotels, hospitals and other institutions. 
         [0038]    Whereas particular embodiments of this invention have been described above for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details of the present invention may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.