Adjustable rod assembly

Abstract

An adjustable rod assembly includes first and second rods and first and second support members. Each of the first and second rods has an end portion. Each support member has opposing first and second open ends, a cavity extending between the opposing first and second open ends, and a sliding assembly with a slider member mounted proximate the first open end. The first end portion is at least partially surrounded by the sliding assembly and movably mounted in the cavity of the first support member and the second end portion is at least partially surrounded by the sliding assembly and movably mounted in the cavity of the second support member. The first and second rods are movable relative to the first and second support members in a first direction away from the first and second support members and a second direction which is opposite to the first direction.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An adjustable rod assembly comprising:
 a first rod having a first telescoping portion and a first end portion;   a second rod having a second telescoping portion and a second end portion, the second telescoping portion being telescopically mounted within the first telescoping portion;   a first support member and a second support member, each of the first and second support members being secured to opposing support surfaces and having opposing first and second open ends, a cavity extending between the opposing first and second open ends, and at least one sliding assembly mounted proximate the first open end, the sliding assembly having at least one slider member,   wherein the first end portion is at least partially surrounded by the sliding assembly and movably mounted in the cavity of the first support member and the second end portion is at least partially surrounded by the sliding assembly and movably mounted in the cavity of the second support member, and   wherein the first and second rods are movable relative to the first and second support members in a first direction away from the first and second support members and a second direction which is opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each slider member of the sliding assembly of the first support member directly contacts an exterior surface of the first end portion to facilitate movement into and out of the first support member and each slider member of the sliding assembly of the second support member directly contacts an exterior surface of the second end portion to facilitate movement into and out of the second support member. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding assembly of the first and second support members has a body with a cavity extending therethrough, the slider member being positioned on a periphery of the body surrounding the cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding assembly of the first and second support members is a roller assembly and the at least one slider member is a roller. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the roller assembly of the first and second support members has a plurality of spaced-apart rollers. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the roller assembly of the first and second support members has a body with a cavity extending therethrough, the rollers being spaced-apart along a periphery of the body surrounding the cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the body and cavity of the roller assembly of the first and second support members are generally cylindrical, an inner diameter of each generally cylindrical cavity being at least slightly greater than an outer diameter of the first and second end portions such that the first end portion is slidable within the generally cylindrical cavity of the roller assembly of the first support member and the second end portion is slidable within the cavity of the roller assembly of the second support member. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 6 , wherein each roller of the roller assembly of the first and second support members is circumferentially spaced approximately 45° relative to an adjacent roller. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding assembly is mounted at a distal edge of the first open end of each of the first and second support members. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a second sliding assembly is mounted proximate the second open end of each of the first and second support members, the second sliding assembly having at least slider member. 
     
     
         11 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second sliding assembly is a roller assembly having a plurality of spaced-apart rollers, each roller of the second roller assembly of the first support member directly contacting and rolling along an exterior surface of the first end portion and each roller of the second roller assembly of the second support member directly contacting and rolling along an exterior surface of the second end portion. 
     
     
         12 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the second roller assembly of the first and second support members has a body with a cavity extending therethrough, the rollers being spaced-apart along a periphery of the body surrounding the cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the body and cavity of the second roller assembly of the first and second support members are generally cylindrical, an inner diameter of each generally cylindrical cavity being at least slightly greater than an outer diameter of the first and second end portions such that the first end portion is slidable within the generally cylindrical cavity of the second roller assembly of the first support member and the second end portion is slidable within the cavity of the second roller assembly of the second support member. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each roller of the second roller assembly is radially spaced approximately 45° relative to an adjacent roller. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second roller assembly is mounted at a distal edge of the second open end of each of the first and second support members. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first end portion is slidable within the cavity of the first support member and the second end portion is slidable within the cavity of the second support member. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second end portions are generally straight. 
     
     
         18 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second telescoping portions form an at least slightly convex segment and the first and second end portions extend inwardly toward the direction of convexity. 
     
     
         19 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a first projection extending outwardly from an exterior surface of the first end portion and a second projection extending outwardly from an exterior surface of the second end portion, the first and second projections limiting movement of the first and second rods in the second direction. 
     
     
         20 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising a third projection extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the first end portion at a position spaced apart from the first projection and a fourth projection extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the second end portion at a position spaced apart from the second projection, the third and fourth projections limiting movement of the first and second rods in the first direction. 
     
     
         21 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first support member is positioned between the first and third projections and the second support member is positioned between the second and fourth projections. 
     
     
         22 . An adjustable rod assembly comprising:
 a first tubular rod having a first telescoping portion and a first end portion;   a second tubular rod having a second telescoping portion and a second end portion, the second telescoping portion being telescopically mounted within the first telescoping portion;   a first support member and a second support member, each of the first and second support members being secured to opposing support surfaces and having opposing first and second open ends, a generally cylindrical cavity extending between the opposing first and second open ends, a first roller assembly mounted proximate the first open end, and a second roller assembly mounted proximate the second open end, each of the roller assemblies having a plurality of rollers spaced around a periphery of the generally cylindrical cavity,   wherein the first end portion is surrounded by the first and second roller assemblies of the first support member and is movably mounted within the generally cylindrical cavity of the first support member,   wherein the second end portion is surrounded by the first and second roller assemblies of the second support member and is movably mounted within the generally cylindrical cavity of the second support member, and   wherein the first and second rods are movable relative to the first and second support members in a first direction away from the first and second support members and a second direction which is opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         23 . An adjustable rod assembly comprising:
 a first rod having a first telescoping portion and a first end portion;   a second rod having a second telescoping portion and a second end portion, the second telescoping portion being telescopically mounted within the first telescoping portion;   a first support member and a second support member, each of the first and second support members being secured to opposing support surfaces and having opposing first and second open ends, a cavity extending between the opposing first and second open ends, and at least one sliding assembly integrally formed with an open end of each of the first and second support members, the sliding assembly having at least one slider member,   wherein the first end portion is at least partially surrounded by the sliding assembly and movably mounted in the cavity of the first support member and the second end portion is at least partially surrounded by the sliding assembly and movably mounted in the cavity of the second support member, and   wherein the first and second rods are movable relative to the first and second support members in a first direction away from the first and second support members and a second direction which is opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         24 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slider member is integrally formed with the at least one sliding assembly of the first and second support members. 
     
     
         25 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one slider member comprises a generally arcuate rib projecting radially inwardly into the respective cavity, having a friction reducing coating thereon to facilitate movement into and out of the first and second support members. 
     
     
         26 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one sliding assembly of each of the first and second support members comprises a first sliding assembly at the respective first open end and a second sliding assembly at the respective second open end. 
     
     
         27 . The adjustable rod assembly of  claim 26 , wherein each of the first and second sliding assemblies of the first and second support members comprises a plurality of slider members circumferentially spaced approximately 45° apart along a periphery of the respective cavity.