Rod assembly, bracket system for supporting a support rod, and method of mounting the same on a support structure

A rod assembly comprising:

• a first bracket member and a second bracket member, each of the first and second bracket members comprising a base portion having a front surface and a rear surface and a rod support member extending from the front surface of the base portion, the rod support member comprising a support portion that is attached to the front surface of the base portion and first and second spring portions that are unattached to the front surface of the base portion, wherein the first bracket member is configured to be coupled to a first vertical surface with the rear surface of the base portion facing the first vertical surface and the second bracket member is configured to be coupled to a second vertical surface with the rear surface of the base portion facing the second vertical surface;
• a support rod extending between the first and second vertical surfaces and supported by the support portions of the rod support members of the first and second bracket members;
• a first cover member and a second cover member positioned around the support rod, each of the first and second cover members comprising a front wall having a hole through which the support rod extends and a sidewall extending from the front wall;
• and
• wherein the first cover member is coupled to the first bracket member by compressing the first and second spring portions of the first bracket member inwardly towards one another and sliding the first cover member over the rod support member of the first bracket, the first and second spring portions of the first bracket member exerting an outward restoring force onto the sidewall of the first cover member to couple the first cover member to the first bracket member;
• and
• wherein the second cover member is coupled to the second bracket member by compressing the first and second spring portions of the second bracket member inwardly towards one another and sliding the second cover member over the rod support member of the second bracket, the first and second spring portions of the second bracket member exerting an outward restoring force onto the sidewall of the second cover member to couple the second cover member to the second bracket member.

A method of mounting a rod assembly on a supporting structure, the method comprising:

• attaching a first bracket member to a first vertical support surface, a first rod support member of the first bracket member extending from the first vertical support surface;
• attaching a second bracket member to a second vertical support surface that is spaced from and parallel to the first vertical support surface, a second rod support member of the second bracket member extending from the second vertical support surface;
• sliding a first cover member and a second cover member onto a support rod;
• positioning the support rod onto support portions of the first and second rod support members so that the support rod extends between the first and second vertical support surfaces;
• compressing a spring portion of the first rod support member and sliding the first cover member towards the first bracket member until the spring portion of the first rod support member nests within a first cavity of the first cover member, the spring portion of the first rod support member exerting an outward restoring force onto the first cover member to couple the first cover member to the first bracket member;
• and
• compressing a spring portion of the second rod support member and sliding the second cover member towards the second bracket member until the spring portion of the second rod support member nests within a second cavity of the second cover member, the spring portion of the second rod support member exerting an outward restoring force onto the second cover member to couple the second cover member to the second bracket member.