Spring-biased end caps for rod assembly and methods of use
AssigneeHouse of Atlas, LLC
InventorsJason Moss, Matthew Berman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spring-biased end cap for mounting a rod assembly is provided including an outer body, an inner body, and a spring engaging both the outer body and the inner body to change a position of the inner body relative to the outer body upon compression or expansion of the spring. A rod is received within the outer body and fixed to the inner body. In embodiments, the spring has a first end portion connected to the outer body, a second end portion capable of being connected to the inner body to connect the outer body to the inner body, and an intermediate portion extending within a cavity of the outer body. A rod assembly including the spring-biased end cap and a method of mounting a rod assembly using the spring-biased end cap are also provided.
Claims15
An end cap for mounting a rod to a surface, the end cap comprising:
- an outer body having an outboard end for engaging a surface and an inboard end defining an opening and a first cavity for receiving a rod;
- an inner body capable of being received at least in part within the first cavity;
- and
- a spring having a first end portion sized to be connected to the outer body and a second end portion sized to be connected to the inner body to connect the outer body to the inner body, the spring further having an intermediate portion configured to change a relative displacement between the inner body and the outer body upon compression or expansion of the spring,
- wherein the first end portion of the spring is sized to be connected to the outer body with an engagement with a post of the outer body projecting into the first cavity of the outer body such that the engagement resists disengagement of the spring from the post.
An end cap for mounting a rod to a surface, the end cap comprising:
- an outer body having an outboard end for engaging a surface and an inboard end defining an opening and a first cavity for receiving a rod;
- an inner body capable of being received at least in part within the first cavity;
- and
- a spring having a first end portion sized to be connected to the outer body and a second end portion capable of being connected to the inner body to connect the outer body to the inner body, the spring further having an intermediate portion configured to change a relative displacement between the inner body and the outer body upon compression or expansion of the spring,
- wherein the second end portion is capable of being connected to the inner body by engaging one or more grooves in a passage of the inner body,
- wherein the passage includes a first portion containing the one or more grooves and a second portion without grooves that is capable of receiving one or more terminal coils of the spring.
A rod assembly comprising:
- a first rod and a second rod that are adjustable relative to one another to adjust a total length of the rod assembly along a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a first end cap and a second end cap attachable to the first rod and the second rod,
- the first end cap including an outer body, an inner body, and a spring couplable to both the outer body and the inner body to allow movement of the inner body relative to the outer body along the longitudinal axis upon compression or expansion of the spring,
- wherein a first end portion of the spring is sized to be coupled to the outer body by engaging a post of the outer body projecting into a first cavity of the outer body, the post having a leading edge that is angled.
An end cap for mounting a rod to a surface, the end cap comprising:
- an outer body having an outboard end for engaging a surface and an inboard end for receiving a rod, the outboard end comprising a first cavity and a cylindrical wall projecting within the first cavity, the inboard end defining an opening and a second cavity for receiving the rod;
- an inner body capable of being received at least in part within the second cavity;
- and
- a spring having a first end portion sized to be connected to the outer body and a second end portion capable of being connected to the inner body to connect the outer body to the inner body, the spring further having an intermediate portion configured to change a relative displacement between the inner body and the outer body upon compression or expansion of the spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.