Locking end cap for roller shade

Abstract

An endcap for a vehicle shade roller assembly is provided. The end cap includes a cap body having an end face, the cap body being axially reciprocable among a plurality of positions relative to a shade spindle. A knob is fixed to the endcap and protrudes from the end face, and has at least one flange extending substantially parallel to the cap body end face. The knob is extendible into a vehicle trim panel, thereby positioning the at least one flange adjacent a substantially complementary structure in the trim panel such that an axial rotation of the end cap engages the flange with the substantially complementary structure to secure the endcap and its associated roller shade assembly.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An end cap for a vehicle roller assembly, said end cap comprising: 
 a hollow cap member having an end face and an inwardly extending body;    a knob extending outwardly from said end face, said knob comprising a shaft portion and at least one flange extending in a substantially perpendicular direction from said shaft portion; and    said cap member is configured to be received within a bracket in a vehicle interior, said bracket having a planar interior surface having a slot substantially conforming to said at least one flange, and wherein said cap is lockingly engaged with said bracket by rotating said cap relative to said bracket.    
     
     
         2 . The end cap of  claim 1  wherein said knob comprises a plurality of flanges.  
     
     
         3 . The end cap of  claim 2  wherein said knob includes two flanges oriented substantially 90° to one another.  
     
     
         4 . The end cap of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of flanges includes two flanges oriented substantially 180° to one another.  
     
     
         5 . The end cap of  claim 1  wherein said cap is configured to be received within said bracket at two distinct radial orientations.  
     
     
         6 . The end cap of  claim 5  wherein rotation of said cap member relative to said bracket is restricted to approximately 90°.  
     
     
         7 . The end cap of  claim 1  wherein said cap is configured to be received within said bracket at a single radial orientation.  
     
     
         8 . The end cap of  claim 7  wherein the rotation of said cap relative to said bracket may exceed 90°.  
     
     
         9 . The end cap of  claim 1  wherein said cap is axially reciprocable between a retracted and an extended position, said cap being biased toward an extended position.  
     
     
         10 . A locking assembly for a vehicle roller comprising: 
 a cap body having a continuous exterior lateral surface and an end surface;    a locking member protruding from said end surface, said locking member having a shaft and at least one flange disposed proximate an end of said shaft, said flange extending from said shaft in a direction substantially parallel to said end surface;    a bracket attached to the interior of a vehicle; wherein said bracket is adapted to receive said locking member and includes an aperture for receiving at least one flange and securely holding said roller in place when said axially said cap member is rotated relative to said bracket.    
     
     
         11 . The end cap of  claim 10  wherein said locking member has two flanges.  
     
     
         12 . The end cap of  claim 11  wherein said two flanges are oriented approximately 90° relative to each other.  
     
     
         13 . The end cap of  claim 11  wherein said two flanges are oriented approximately 180° relative to one another.  
     
     
         14 . The end cap of  claim 13  wherein said aperture is adapted to receive said locking member in a plurality of radial orientations.  
     
     
         15 . A vehicle roller assembly comprising: 
 a windable roller member with a flexible panel attached thereto;    at least one end cap attached to said roller member, said end cap including a cap body with a locking knob member extending in an axial direction from an end face and having at least one flange, said end cap being axially reciprocable relative to said roller member; and    a bracket having an aperture for receiving said at least one flange and holding said flange being said cap body is rotated relative to said bracket.    
     
     
         16 . The vehicle roller shade assembly of  claim 15  wherein said assembly comprises two end caps, each of said end caps being biased toward an extended position automatically centering said roller member relative to brackets mounted in an interior of a vehicle.  
     
     
         17 . The vehicle roller shade assembly of  claim 16  wherein said brackets are formed integrally within trim panels in said vehicle.  
     
     
         18 . The vehicle roller assembly of  claim 16  wherein said brackets are affixed to trim panels in said vehicle.  
     
     
         19 . The vehicle roller assembly of  claim 15  wherein said assembly includes a single flange.  
     
     
         20 . The vehicle roller assembly of  claim 15  wherein at least a portion of said bracket is rotatable to engage said flange relative to said slot aperture.