A bracket for a curtain pole

Abstract

 A bracket for a bay curtain pole which provides sufficient support to the pole to avoid the need for a corner bracket. The bracket comprises at least one support arm and a retaining arm joined, in use, coaxially to the support arm. The supporting arm and retaining arm having ends shaped with a concave recess such that curtain pole sits within and between the concave recesses in use.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a bracket for a curtain pole. More especially the invention relates to a bracket for holding an angled curtain pole which extends around a bay window.

[0002] Traditionally, curtain poles designed to extend around bay windows require supports at each corner as well as along the straight sections. Corner brackets extending from the wall prevent a single curtain from being able to extend along the pole entirely around the bay area.

[0003] The present invention seeks to alleviate the aforementioned problem by providing a bracket for a curtain pole which provides sufficient support to the pole to avoid the need for a corner bracket.

[0004] According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a bracket for a curtain pole, the bracket having two supporting arms spaced from one another extending from a base plate secured, in use, to a wall, and means to retain the pole against each supporting arm.

[0005] Preferably the supporting arms are spaced approximately 3 inches from one another.

[0006] Preferably the distal end of each supporting arms is formed with a concave recesses in which to receive a section of the curtain pole.

[0007] The retaining means may comprise a retaining arm capable which in use lies coaxially with the associated supporting arm and the distal end of which is formed with a curved recess to lie over the curtain pole in use.

[0008] The retaining means may alternatively be a fixing ring through which the curtain pole extends.

[0009] Embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures in which :

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bracket for a curtain pole constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a retaining arm for use with the bracket of figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a bracket constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a retaining ring used in connection with the bracket of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side view of a support arm of a single bracket I according to second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a side view of a retraining arm of the bracket of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side view illustrating the connection of the support arm and retaining arm of figures 5 and 6 respectively;

Figure 8 is an end view of the bracket of the second embodiment;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the bracket of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a side view of a support arm of a double bracket according to a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 is a side view of a retaining arm of the bracket of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a side view illustrating the connection of the support arm and retaining arm of figures 10 and 11 respectively;

Figure 13 is an end view of the bracket of the third embodiment; and

Figure 14 is a plan view of the bracket of Figure 13.

[0010] The figures 1 and 2 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention. A bracket 10 comprises a back plate 12 and two arms 14 extending from the back plate 12.

[0011] The back plate 12 has apertures to allow the plate 12 to be affixed to a wall using standard means, such as a screw.

[0012] The distal end of each arm 14 is formed with a concave recess 16 the curved radius of which is designed to receive a curtain pole 18 which extends, in use, across each arm 14 so that the bracket 10 supports the pole 18 at two distinct spaced-apart points.

[0013] The arms 14 are preferably in the region of 3 inches apart. The gap between the arms 14 could, however, be more than 3 inches.

[0014] Each arm 14 includes a laterally extending flange 20. Each flange 20 has apertures to allow connection of the flange to an arm section 22 of a retaining member 24. A suitable retaining member 24 is shown in Figure 2.

[0015] Each retaining member 24 has an end formed with a corresponding curved recess 26. When the retaining member 24 is connected to the associated arm 14 of the bracket 10 the curved recess 26 extends over and around the top of the pole 18 such that the pole 18 is retained in place within each curved recess 16, 26.

[0016] The retaining members 24 may be fixed to the arms 14 via a hinge arrangement (not shown).

[0017] The Applicant has found through extensive tests that the support provided by the two spaced apart arms 14 of the bracket 10 is sufficient to no longer require the curtain pole 18 to have a corner support within, for example, a bay window. Consequently a single curtain is able to extend across the entire bay area.

[0018] Figure 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment a bracket 28 comprises a back plate 30, which in use is affixed to a wall. Two upwardly curved supporting arms 32 extend from the back plate 30. The supporting arms 32 provide support for a curtain pole 34 at two distinct spaced apart points when the pole 34 rests over and across the supporting arms 32. The pole 34 is retained firmly in position by means of fixing rings 36 (see Figure 4) secured to the back plate 30. The fixing rings 36 may alternatively be secured to, and extend from, the wall.

[0019] The fixing rings comprise two concave sections attached together at one end via a hinged flange arrangement. This allows the sections to be divided to accept the pole 18 therebetween and then clamped together around the pole 18.

[0020] In both embodiments, the back plate 12, 28 is substantially flat and the supporting arms 14, 32 extend from locations inward from the edges of the plate. This allows curtain rings to slide beyond the ends of the plate 12, 28 to abut against the supporting arms 14, 32 or fixing rings 36. Consequently, the length or shape of the back plate 12, 28 have no determination on the distance a curtain can slide along the pole.

[0021] Figures 5 to 9 illustrate a single bracket according to a second embodiment of the invention. The features are similar to those of the first embodiment and like integers have been given the same reference numerals.

[0022] In this embodiment the supporting arm 14 has a curved profile and includes an elongate recess 40. The supporting arm 14 also has an aperture 42 near its end. The retaining arm 22 has a similar curved profile and two apertures 44, 46 at locations equivalent to the recess 42 and aperture 40 of the supporting arm 14.

[0023] As can be seen in Figure 7, in use, the supporting arm 14 and retaining arm 22 are conjoined to retain the curtain pole 18 (not shown in figure 7) between the curved ends of the arms 14, 22. The arms 14, 22 are secured together around the pole 18 by extending retaining means, such as a nut and bolt or similar means, through the associated recess and apertures.

[0024] A strip of Velcro™ 48 or similar retaining means is provided on the inner surface of the curved arm means to provide additional grip to the pole 18.

[0025] The back plate 12 also has a curved profile.

[0026] Figure 10 to 14 illustrate a third embodiment which is essentially a double bracket version of the second embodiment.

[0027] It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely examples of embodiments and just some examples of their use. The skilled reader will readily understand that modifications can be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A bracket for a curtain pole comprising at least one supporting arm, one end of which having a concave recess in which to support part of the surface of the curtain pole in use, and a retaining arm joined coaxially to the support arm in use, and having a concave end to extend over the free surface of the curtain pole in use, such that the curtain pole is retained between the support and retaining arms.

2. A bracket according to claim 1 wherein the other end of the or each supporting arm is attached to, or formed integral with, a base plate secured, in use, to a wall.

3. A bracket according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bracket has two supporting arms with equivalent retaining arms, spaced from one another.

4. A bracket according to claim 4, wherein the supporting arms are spaced approximately 3 inches from one another.

5. A bracket for a curtain pole comprising at least one supporting arm, one end of which having a concave recess in which to support the curtain pole in use, and a retaining member to the retain the pole in use, within the recess of the supporting arm.

6. A bracket according to claim 5, wherein the retaining member comprises a fixing ring through which the pole extends in use.

7. A bracket according to claim 6, wherein the fixing ring comprises two sections hinged together.

8. A bracket substantially as hereinbefore described and referred to in the accompanying figures.

Drawing