Patent Application
20250228384
This invention relates to window tension rods with removable pads and securement pins.
Window tension rods may be provided with end brackets to hold the rod in a desired position in front of a window. Conventional window curtain rods are typically mounted adjacent to a window by screws that are secured into a wall or window casing. Examples of conventional window tension rods with mounting brackets are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,814,114 B2, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention provides window tension rods having end brackets with removable resilient pads and securement pins. Each bracket includes a bracket plate having one or more securement pins extending therefrom that may be used to help secure the rod in a window opening. A removable resilient pad may be used to cover the securement pins when the pins are not required to adequately secure the tension rod in a window opening, or may be removed to expose the pins for additional securement. A resilient base mounting pad may additionally be attached to the bracket plate adjacent to the securement pins and underneath the removable resilient pad. When a user opts to remove the removable pad during installation, the underlying resilient base pad may contact the window opening to provide additional securement.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a window rod assembly comprising an extendable curtain rod, a first end bracket adjacent a first end of the curtain rod comprising a first bracket plate substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the curtain rod, at least one securement pin attached to the first bracket plate and extending away from the first bracket plate and the curtain rod in a direction substantially parallel with the axial direction of the curtain rod, and a first removable pad removably attachable to the first end bracket structured and arranged to cover the securement pin attached to the first bracket plate when the first removable pad is attached to the first end bracket.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a mounting bracket for an extendable window curtain rod comprising a bracket plate, at least one securement pin attached to and extending away from a surface of the bracket plate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the bracket plate, a mounting pad covering at least a portion of the bracket plate surface, wherein the at least one securement pin extends through a thickness of the mounting pad, and A removable pad removably attached to the mounting pad and covering the at least one securement pin, wherein the at least one securement pin extends from an outer surface of the mounting pad an extension distance less than a thickness of the removable pad.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description.
A first support arm assembly 118 is provided near an outer end of the first rod section. The first support arm assembly includes a first sleeve or tube 120 configured to engage a portion 122 of the first rod section, a first end bracket 124, and a first arm 126 extending between the first sleeve and the first end bracket. A second support arm assembly 128 is provided near an outer end of the second rod section. The second support arm assembly includes a second sleeve or tube 130 configured to engage a portion 132 of the second rod section, a second end bracket 134, and a second arm 136, extending between the second sleeve and the second end bracket. At least one of the first and second support arm assemblies may include a tension adjuster that is configured to apply a force on the support rod in an axial direction and spread the support brackets. This may urge the first and second end brackets 124 and 134 against interior surfaces 138, 140 of a window opening 142.
To install the rod assembly 108, the end brackets 124 and 134 are positioned adjacent to the interior surfaces of the window opening and the first and second rod sections are pulled apart until the end brackets 124 and 134 make contact with the internal walls of the window opening. Then the rod sections may then be rotated with respect to each other to lock the axial position of the first and second rod sections with respect to each other. Then a force may be applied to the rod as shown by arrows 146 and 148, for example, by using a force adjusting mechanism coupled to at least one of the finials 150 and 152. Because the arms 126 and 136 are rigidly attached to the end brackets 124 and 134 and rigidly attached to tubes 120 and 130, an outward force as indicated by arrows 154 and 156 is also applied to the end brackets 124 and 134. This outward force pushes the end brackets 124 and 134 into the internal surfaces (i.e., the support surfaces) of the window opening, thus securing the rod assembly 108 to the window opening. Forces applied to the support rod are transferred to the brackets. Thus, there is no need for any additional means for attaching the brackets to the walls of the window opening or the window casing. The support arms may be shaped to extend forward toward the interior of a room and also outward with respect to the window opening. This may position the support rod away from the window opening and any casing that might be positioned around the window opening.
The end bracket 124 includes a bracket plate 180 that is oriented perpendicularly to the window rod, and a bracket side plate 181 that extends substantially perpendicularly from the bracket plate 180. A resilient base mounting pad 182 covers the bracket plate 180. In the embodiment shown, the base mounting pad 182 includes a resilient base side pad 183 extending perpendicularly therefrom and covering the bracket side plate 181. The resilient base mounting pad 182 and base side pad 183 may be secured or permanently fixed to the bracket plate 180 and side plate 181 by any suitable means such as adhesives and the like.
As shown in
The resilient base mounting pad 182 and the resilient portion 186 of the base mounting pad 182A, as well as the resilient removable pads 184, may be made from any suitable resilient materials, such as thermoplastic elastomers, rubbers, foams, and the like. The rigid portion 187 of the resilient base mounting pad 182A of
The resilient base mounting pads 182 and 182A may have a thickness TB of at least 0.05 inch, such as at least 0.08 inch, or at least 0.1 inch. The base mounting pads 182 and 182A may have a thickness TB of up to 0.3 inch, such as up to 0.25 inch, or up to 0.2 inch. The base mounting pads 182 and 182A may have a thickness TB of from 0.05 to 0.3 inch, such as from 0.08 to 0.25 inch, or from 0.1 to 0.2 inch.
The removable resilient pad 184 may have a thickness TR of at least 0.05 inch, such as at least 0.08 inch, or at least 0.1 inch. The removable resilient pad 184 may have a thickness TR of up to 0.3 inch, such as up to 0.25 inch, or up to 0.2 inch. The removable resilient pad 184 may have a thickness TR of from 0.05 to 0.3 inch, such as from 0.08 to 0.25 inch, or from 0.1 to 0.2 inch.
For each of the base mounting pads 180, 180A and the removable pad 184, their thicknesses TR and TR may be measured when the material is non-compressed, e.g., prior to installation in a window opening that may cause compression of the resilient material as the end brackets are forced outward against a window opening.
The securement pins 190 may have an extension length LP of at least 0.05 inch, such as at least 0.08, or at least 0.1 inch. The securement pins 190 may have an extension length LP of up to 0.5 inch, such as up to 0.4 inch, or up to 0.3 inch. The securement pins 190 may have an extension length LP of from 0.05 to 0.5 inch, such as from 0.08 to 0.4 inch, or from 0.1 to 0.3 inch. As used herein, the term “extension length” means the distance the exposed portion of the securement pin extends from the bracket plate when the removable pad is removed from the end bracket. Thus, when the end bracket includes a permanently secured base mounting pad on the bracket plate, and a securement pin extends through the fixed base mounting pad, the securement pin extension length LP is measured from the outer surface of the fixed mounting pad to the tip of the securement pin. However, if no additional fixed base mounting pad is provided on the bracket plate, the securement pin extension length LP may be measured from the outer exposed surface of the bracket plate to the tip of the securement pin.
Each securement pin 190 may have a tapered shape that facilitates insertion of the pin into a window frame or casing during installation a sufficient distance to prevent unwanted movement or dislocation of the window rod assembly during use. The securement pin 190 may have a pointed tip that tapers in a conical shape, pyramidal shape, or any other suitable shape. The base of the securement pin may have a diameter or width that is less than its extension length LP, for example, the base may be at least 30 percent less than the extension length LP, or at least 50 percent less, or at least 80 percent less.
As described above, the window rod assembly may be mounted with the removable resilient pad 184 in place, as shown in
The length of the extendable rod may be adjusted by sliding the rod sections with respect to each other until, depending on the embodiment, either the resilient removable pads 184, or the resilient base mounting pads 182, are adjacent to the walls of the window opening. In addition, the resilient base side pad 183 may be positioned adjacent to the forward-facing wall or casing next of the window opening. The fastener may then be tightened to secure the first and second sections of the extendable rod in a fixed position relative to each other in an axial direction. Next, the tension adjusting assembly may be adjusted to lengthen the support rod and force the end brackets into the opposing walls of the opening.
The window tension rods use an outward force on the end brackets to hold the extended rods in place and do not require screws or adhesive. The rod assemblies eliminate the need for screwing a curtain rod to a wall or window casing and yet still include a decorative look without damaging the window opening walls or casing. The window rod assemblies can be configured such that the arms extend forward into the room and can also be angled away from the window opening allowing the decorative finials to be positioned outside of the window opening and curtains attached to the support rod can then overlap the walls or casing adjacent to the window opening.
As used herein, “including,” “containing” and like terms are understood in the context of this application to be synonymous with “comprising” and are therefore open-ended and do not exclude the presence of additional undescribed or unrecited elements, materials, phases or method steps. As used herein, “consisting of” is understood in the context of this application to exclude the presence of any unspecified element, material, phase or method step. As used herein, “consisting essentially of” is understood in the context of this application to include the specified elements, materials, phases, or method steps, where applicable, and to also include any unspecified elements, materials, phases, or method steps that do not materially affect the basic or novel characteristics of the invention.
Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard variation found in their respective testing measurements.
Also, it should be understood that any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. For example, a range of “1 to 10” is intended to include all sub-ranges between (and including) the recited minimum value of 1 and the recited maximum value of 10, that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1 and a maximum value of equal to or less than 10.
In this application, the use of the singular includes the plural and plural encompasses singular, unless specifically stated otherwise. In addition, in this application, the use of “or” means “and/or” unless specifically stated otherwise, even though “and/or” may be explicitly used in certain instances. In this application and the appended claims, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless expressly and unequivocally limited to one referent.
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.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/621,029 filed Jan. 15, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63621029 | Jan 2024 | US |
