Patent ID: 6988527

Claim:
A plug for a counterbalancing mechanism of a door assembly, the counterbalancing mechanism comprising a torsion spring, said torsion spring having a plurality coils, and an end portion including an end coil and a preceding coil adjacent to said end coil, the plug being used for operatively connecting the end portion of the torsion spring onto a corresponding component of the counterbalancing mechanism for allowing a torque transfer between the torsion spring and said corresponding component, the plug comprising: connecting means for removably connecting the plug onto the corresponding component of the counterbalancing mechanism; a substantially cylindrical collar insertable into the end portion of the torsion spring, the collar having a longitudinal axis and a peripheral side area extending about the longitudinal axis, the peripheral side area including diametrically opposite top and bottom portions; anchoring means disposed on the bottom portion of the peripheral side area of the collar for cooperating with a coil of the end portion of the torsion spring, the anchoring means comprising a flange projecting from the bottom portion of the peripheral side area of the collar, the flange being shaped and sized for insertion between the end coil and the preceding coil of the end portion of the torsion spring so as to pivotably anchor the collar onto said end portion of the torsion spring; and a clip projecting from the top portion of the peripheral side area of the collar, at a location on the collar substantially diametrically opposite from where the anchoring means are disposed on the bottom portion of the peripheral side area, the clip being shaped and sized for clasping past the end coil of the torsion spring and operatively engaging with said end coil so as to securely mount the plug onto the end portion of the torsion spring in a clipping manner, the clip comprising a wedge having a slanted portion shaped and sized for pressure insertion into the end portion of the torsion spring past the end coil thereof, and a hooking portion opposite to the slanted portion for engaging with said end coil once the slanted portion is inserted past the end coil.