US 12,082,732 B2
Adjustable telescoping tension rods
Benjamin Scanlon, Philadelphia, PA (US); Adam T. Emenecker, Blackwood, NJ (US); and David M. Baines, Bedford, NY (US)
Assigned to Decolin Inc., Montreal (CA)
Filed by Decolin Inc., Montreal (CA)
Filed on Nov. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/534,857.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/118,455, filed on Nov. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0160158 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. A47H 1/022 (2006.01); A47H 1/102 (2006.01)
CPC A47H 1/022 (2013.01) [A47H 1/102 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An adjustable tension rod assembly comprising:
an outer tube;
an inner tube telescopingly engageable in the outer tube; and
a tension lock assembly attached to an end of the inner tube and insertable into an end of the outer tube, comprising:
a retaining rod comprising a spring retaining bar and a tapered threaded portion separated from each other along an axial length of the retaining rod by a mid separator flange;
a spring surrounding at least a portion of the spring retaining bar having a first end contacting the mid separator flange;
an anti-rotation collar surrounding a portion of the spring retaining bar fastened inside the end of the inner tube and having an end contacting a second end of the spring, wherein the anti-rotation collar comprises a first half and a second half connectable to each other to surround the portion of the spring retaining bar and is structured and arranged to substantially prevent rotation of the spring retaining bar around a longitudinal axis of the retaining rod and to allow relative axial movement of the retaining bar with respect to the anti-rotation collar along the longitudinal axis of the retaining rod; and
a locking sleeve threadingly engaged with the threaded tapered portion of the retaining rod structured and arranged to radially expand outwardly when threaded from a narrow taper end of the threaded tapered portion toward a broad taper end of the threaded tapered portion to thereby force an outer sidewall of the locking sleeve against an inner wall of the outer tube to thereby releasingly lock the locking sleeve and retaining bar in a locked axial position along an axial length of the outer tube, wherein in the locked axial position the outer tube and inner tube are axially movable with respect to each other along the axial length of the outer tube against a spring bias of the spring.
 
16. A telescoping rod assembly comprising:
an outer tube comprising multiple outer tube sections;
an inner tube telescopingly engageable in a first end of a first one of the outer tube sections;
a lock assembly structured and arranged to releasably lock the inner tube in the first outer tube section; and
a reduced diameter end located at an end of a second one of the outer tube sections structured and arranged for removable insertion of the reduced diameter end into a second end of the first outer tube section, wherein the lock assembly comprises a tension lock assembly attached to an end of the inner tube and insertable into an end of the outer tube, the tension lock assembly comprising:
a retaining rod comprising a spring retaining bar and a tapered threaded portion separated from each other along an axial length of the retaining rod by a mid separator flange;
a spring surrounding at least a portion of the spring retaining bar having a first end contacting the mid separator flange;
an anti-rotation collar surrounding a portion of the spring retaining bar fastened inside the end of the inner tube and having an end contacting a second end of the spring, wherein the anti-rotation collar comprises a first half and a second half connectable to each other to surround the portion of the spring retaining bar and is structured and arranged to substantially prevent rotation of the spring retaining bar around a longitudinal axis of the retaining rod and to allow relative axial movement of the retaining bar with respect to the anti-rotation collar along the longitudinal axis of the retaining rod; and
a locking sleeve threadingly engaged with the threaded tapered portion of the retaining rod structured and arranged to radially expand outwardly when threaded from a narrow taper end of the threaded tapered portion toward a broad taper end of the threaded tapered portion to thereby force an outer sidewall of the locking sleeve against an inner wall of the outer tube to thereby releasingly lock the locking sleeve and retaining bar in a locked axial position along an axial length of the outer tube, wherein in the locked axial position the outer tube and inner tube are axially movable with respect to each other along the axial length of the outer tube against a spring bias of the spring.