Rod connector system and methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12448993-B2
Application number	US-202418979476-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2024
Priority date	Aug 25, 2021
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A rod connector is provided including a disc portion, a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion. The disc portion has a first side configured to engage a first rod and a second side configured to engage a second rod. The first shaft portion extends from the first side of the disc portion and includes threads along at least a portion of the length thereof for engaging threads of the first rod to draw the first rod into engagement with the disc portion. The second shaft portion extends from the second side of the disc portion and includes threads along at least a portion of the length thereof for engaging threads of the second rod to draw the second rod into engagement with the disc portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rod connector comprising:
a disc portion having a first side and a second side;
a first shaft portion extending from the first side of the disc portion, the first shaft portion including first threading along at least a portion of a length thereof for engaging second threading at a first rod to draw the first rod toward the disc portion; and
a second shaft portion extending from the second side of the disc portion, the second shaft portion including third threading along at least a portion of the length thereof for engaging fourth threading at a second rod to draw the second rod toward the disc portion,
wherein the first side of the disc portion includes a first annular flange extending axially from a peripheral edge of the disc portion, the first annular flange comprising a first inner annular surface that defines a gradually increasing inner diameter of the first annular flange from the disc portion to a terminal end of the first annular flange.

2. The rod connector of claim 1 , wherein the disc portion defines a passage extending from the first side to the second side and a shaft extends through the passage, the first shaft portion is a portion of the shaft on the first side of the disc portion, and the second shaft portion is a portion of the shaft on the second side of the disc portion.

3. The rod connector of claim 2 , wherein the passage includes fifth threading for engaging at least one of the first threading and the third threading.

4. The rod connector of claim 1 , wherein the first annular flange comprises an exterior curved surface sized to provide a smooth transition between the first annular flange and a portion of the first rod such that one or more couplings of a curtain coupled to the first rod are not stopped by the rod connector when a user pulls the curtain across the rod connector.

5. The rod connector of claim 1 , wherein the second side of the disc portion includes a second annular flange extending axially from a peripheral edge of the disc portion, the second annular flange comprising a second inner annular surface that defines a gradually increasing inner diameter of the second annular flange from the disc portion to a terminal end of the second annular flange.

6. The rod connector of claim 1 , comprising a first collar extending about the first shaft portion and a planar surface of the disc portion between the first annular flange and the first collar that is contacted by the first rod when the first rod is attached to the rod connector.

7. A rod connector system comprising:
the rod connector of claim 1 ;
a first rod having a first insert disposed in an end portion thereof, the first insert defining a central opening for receiving the first shaft portion of the rod connector, the central opening including the second threading for engaging the first threading of the first shaft portion; and
a second rod having a second insert disposed in an end portion thereof, the second insert defining a central opening for receiving the second shaft portion of the rod connector, the central opening including the fourth threading for engaging the third threading of the second shaft portion.

8. A rod connector comprising:
a disc portion having a first side and a second side;
a first shaft portion extending from the first side of the disc portion, the first shaft portion including first threading along at least a portion of a length thereof for engaging second threading at a first rod to draw the first rod toward the disc portion; and
a second shaft portion extending from the second side of the disc portion, the second shaft portion including third threading along at least a portion of the length thereof for engaging fourth threading at a second rod to draw the second rod toward the disc portion,
wherein the first side of the disc portion includes a first annular flange extending axially from a peripheral edge of the disc portion, the first annular flange comprising a first inner annular surface that defines a first receptacle for receiving an end of the first rod, the first inner annular surface being angled with respect to the disc portion.

9. The rod connector of claim 8 , wherein the first inner annular surface is angled radially outwardly with respect to the disc portion.

10. The rod connector of claim 8 , wherein the first inner annular surface defines a gradually increasing inner diameter of the first annular flange from the disc portion to a terminal end of the first annular flange.

11. The rod connector of claim 8 , including a second annular flange extending axially from a peripheral edge of the second side of the disc portion, the second annular flange comprising a second inner annular surface that defines a second receptacle for receiving an end of the second rod, the second inner annular surface being angled with respect to the disc portion.

12. The rod connector of claim 8 , wherein the first annular flange is sized to provide a smooth transition between the first annular flange and a portion of the first rod such that one or more couplings of a curtain coupled to the first rod are not stopped by the rod connector when a user pulls the curtain across the rod connector.

13. The rod connector of claim 8 , comprising a first collar extending about the first shaft portion and a planar surface of the disc portion between the first annular flange and the first collar that is contacted by the first rod when the first rod is attached to the rod connector.

14. The rod connector of claim 8 , wherein the disc portion defines a passage extending from the first side to the second side and a shaft extends through the passage, the first shaft portion is a portion of the shaft on the first side of the disc portion, and the second shaft portion is a portion of the shaft on the second side of the disc portion.

15. A rod connector system comprising:
a rod connector including a disc portion, a first shaft portion extending from a first side of the disc portion, and a second shaft portion extending from a second side of the disc portion, the first shaft portion including first threading thereon and the second shaft portion including second threading thereon;
a first rod having a first insert disposed in an end portion thereof, the first insert defining a central opening for receiving the first shaft portion of the rod connector, the central opening including third threading for engaging the first threading of the first shaft portion; and
a second rod having a second insert disposed in an end portion thereof, the second insert defining a central opening for receiving the second shaft portion of the rod connector, the central opening including fourth threading for engaging the second threading of the second shaft portion,
wherein the first side of the disc portion includes a first annular flange extending axially from a perimeter of the disc portion, the first annular flange having a first terminal annular face spaced from the disc portion;
wherein an end of the first rod is sized to abut the first terminal annular face when the first rod is attached to the rod connector.

16. The rod connector system of claim 15 , wherein the second side of the disc portion includes a second annular flange extending axially from a perimeter of the disc portion, the second annular flange having a second terminal annular face spaced from the disc portion, and
wherein an end of the second rod is dimensioned to abut the second terminal annular face when the second rod is attached to the rod connector.

17. The rod connector system of claim 16 , wherein the disc porti

Assignees

• House Of Atlas Llc

Inventors

• Moss Jason
• Ford Alan Arthur

Classifications

• A47H1/022

  extensible · CPC title

• F16B7/182 Primary

  for coaxial connections of two rods or tubes · CPC title