HK1118180B - Track assembly for supporting fabrics - Google Patents

Description

Track assembly for supporting fabric

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to fabric wall coverings. More particularly, the present invention relates to track assemblies for supporting fabric under high tension on a surface, such as a wall, even thicker assemblies that house acoustical panels and the like.

Background

It is known to fix a frame formed of plastic tubing to the edge region of a fabric-covered inner wall by means of staples or other means. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,403,642 and 6,164,364 disclose track assemblies having two track halves, each having one-half hinge and a snapping clamp that interlocks with the fabric and clamps the two tracks to each other. Such assemblies are generally suitable for use with interior walls and the like that are covered with fabric.

The wall may be formed of unfinished slate, gypsum, cinder block, concrete or wood, without any preparation other than installing the duct. The fabric material applied to the frame is first cut to the exact dimensions required, taking care that the piece of fabric is subjected to tension on the frame. The installation process is set to stretch the fabric from top to bottom and side to side, thereby covering the fabric wall with a naturally smooth and taut finish. Preferably, the fabric is tensioned as much as possible to create a smooth and tensioned finish. When the fabric portion is relatively large, the tension places a relatively large stress on the track frame.

However, the track assemblies disclosed by the patents "642" and "364" suffer from several drawbacks. The main drawback is that the closing and locking of the upper rail element connecting the fabric with the bottom rail element is very difficult due to the large tension forces acting from the fabric on the upper and lower rail elements. Although the hook and catch of the snapping clamp are only a fraction of an inch in size, moving them a fraction of an inch to engage and lock them to one another requires pounding with a mallet or the like.

The track assemblies of the '642 and' 364 patents are half-inch systems. There are other situations, such as when insulation or acoustic panels are employed within the track perimeter, when a thicker system is desired. Rigid fiberglass panels, typically one inch thick, have become the standard for insulating and sound proofing commercial structures. In addition to conserving energy, fiberglass panels provide a sound insulating effect. Such panels are commonly used in cinema and other round theaters where sound quality is a concern. The acoustic energy impacts the plate and is converted to heat. Depending on the thickness and density of the glass fibers, a certain proportion of the sound is absorbed and reflected.

When used as an acoustical finish, fiberglass panels require a decorative outer shell, typically fabric or vinyl, to be applied over the panel. In the past, the application of the cover material relied on adhesives to bond and secure the material to the board. The panel edges are wrapped around and bonded again to the opposite sides of the panel. Due to the soft and porous nature of the material, the edges tend to be soft and easily irregular due to dishing caused by handling of the plate. When wound and installed adjacent to other panels, the edges tend to be inconsistent with one another and often create unsightly gaps.

To address this problem, suppliers of finished panels typically treat the soft panel edges with a non-stick liquid resin that wicks into the glass mat. When cured, the resin is solid and can be processed to obtain straight permanent edges of various shapes. Such applications achieve high quality edges.

However, these benefits are not necessarily the benefits that are required to achieve the desired and specified acoustical insulation goals. Manufacturers of rigid fiberglass panels have provided their products in their green state with a sound insulation rating that meets the needs of the consumer. However, there can be significant differences between the sound insulation rating claimed by the manufacturer and the sound insulation rating actually provided by the contractor who finished the panels to obtain straight permanent edges. Furthermore, the sound insulation rating can be changed by spraying an adhesive on the glass fiber sheet to fix the covering material. The adhesive may act as a barrier to sound transmission and reduce the sound insulating effectiveness of the panel. In addition, the resin is a solid substance that highly reflects sound. As mentioned above, the main purpose of the fiberglass panel is to absorb sound and minimize acoustic reflections.

Other concerns with existing fiberglass panels are that they are fixed size panels that cannot cover enclosures other than square walls. Furthermore, if the consumer wishes to change the decor, all of the sound-insulating material must be replaced at great expense.

Unfortunately, the track assemblies of the '642' and '364' patents relate to only one-half inch system products. These designs are not suitable for one inch size fiberglass panel systems from a geometry and material standpoint. The double distance from the wall gives the proposed product because the new profile (e.g. with chamfer, bullnose and square) adds to the different size, geometry and material reflectivity considerations not present in the prior art. It is also contemplated that the top bracket actually disengages from the bottom bracket due to the tension exerted on the track assembly by the tensioning fabric. The geometry of the entire track assembly is rectangular; when the fabric is tensioned, the force applied to the assembly may distort or deform the rectangle into a parallelogram. Due to the high tension forces, the fabric can slide off or off the snapping clamp. The hinges of these devices are also prone to failure. These problems are particularly acute in one-inch systems.

Accordingly, there is a continuing need to provide a fabric mounting track assembly that is designed to make it easier for the hook and catch elements to engage and lock with one another. There is also a need to design a track assembly that is reinforced to resist the tendency for deformation. There is also a continuing need to provide a fabric mounting assembly that is specifically designed for use with the fiberglass acoustic panel. Such an assembly should be capable of covering a fiberglass panel with an aesthetically pleasing fabric without substantially altering the panel's sound insulating properties. Moreover, such assemblies should be capable of being replaced over time to accommodate changes in decor or to provide access to wiring, devices or sound insulation behind the fabric without replacing the insulation or sound insulation and without replacing the track assembly. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is directed to a track assembly for supporting fabric on a surface that overcomes the disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. The track assembly generally includes a base track defining a first half of a hinge and a first half of a snapping clamp. The upper track defines a second half of the hinge and a second half of the snapping clamp. Typically, the second half of the upper track includes a hook and the second half of the bottom track includes a catch configured to releasably engage and form a snapping clamp.

After the base track is secured to a surface, such as a wall, the upper track may be hinged to the base track by the engagement of the first and second halves of the hinge. The upper track may then be deflected away from the surface about the hinge to facilitate placement of the fabric over the second half of the snapping clamp. Deflection of the upper track toward the base track causes the first and second halves of the snapping clamp to secure the fabric therebetween.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the tab extends upwardly from the upper plate of the upper track adjacent the second half of the snapping clamp. This prevents the shadow effect that would otherwise occur if the fabric were pressed directly against the upper track.

In one embodiment, the upper track includes a strut that extends downwardly toward the bottom track. When high tension forces, typically caused by fabric tensioning, are applied to the upper track, these forces are at least partially transmitted from the strut to the bottom track and the surface. The struts move into contact with the bottom rail due to the high tension forces to transfer these forces to the surface to the bottom rail. Typically, the strut moves into contact with the first half of the hinge on the base track.

In another embodiment, or in addition to the previously described embodiments, the bottom rail includes a tension force dissipater. The tension force dissipater generally extends from the first half of the hinge and includes a raised portion of the base plate of the base track. The raised portion generally forms an inverted V-shape. The high tensile forces exerted on the upper rail are at least partially transmitted to the tension force dissipater and to the wall surface etc., for example by means of struts. The transmission and dissipation of tension prevents the snapping clamp from disengaging and the fabric from loosening.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

Drawings

The figures illustrate the invention. In the figure:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side perspective view of a pair of track assemblies embodying the present invention and supporting a fabric therebetween;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1 but showing insulation or sound isolation between the track assemblies;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base rail fixed to a surface and an upper rail positioned in connection therewith;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the hinge assemblies closed to secure the fabric therein;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 1, showing the track assembly in a closed position and securing the fabric;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but showing a ramp configuration;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the bullnose configuration;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but showing a one-half inch system;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 but showing the bullnose configuration;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 but showing a ramp configuration;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing another track assembly embodying the present invention for forming a seam between two fabrics;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of another track assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing another track assembly embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of a track assembly; and

fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

For illustrative purposes, as shown in the drawings, the present invention relates to a track assembly for covering a wall with fabric or the like. As mentioned above, the very tight tension of the fabric panels can place very high loads on the relatively lightweight hinge and track assembly structure. The span of the fabric to be stretched may exceed thirty and twenty-five feet, and the fabric panels alone may weigh fifty pounds or more. In the prior art, it has been concerned that the fabric may become dislodged from the track assembly due to the tension exerted thereon by the stretched fabric. Some track assemblies, particularly those that are approximately one inch thick, having a generally rectangular closed configuration, can deform and move into a generally parallelogram shape due to the high tension of the stretched fabric. As described more fully herein, the track assembly of the present invention discloses a design that includes a strut and high tension dissipater that can accommodate these high tensions even in a one inch assembly.

Referring now to fig. 1 and 2, a partially cut-away surface 2, such as a wall, is shown and includes a fabric shell 4 supported by a framework of rails 10, 12, respectively. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1-8, the track assembly is approximately one inch thick to accommodate the insulation or acoustical panels 6, which as noted above may be made of fiberglass, fiberboard or other suitable material. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the track assemblies 10, 12 are used to stretch the fabric 4 over a portion of a wall 2 or other surface.

Referring now to fig. 3-6, the assembly includes a base track 100 and an upper track 102 that can be pivotally connected to each other and selectively interlocked. The base track 100 includes a substantially flat base plate 104 that contacts the wall 2. The base track 100 is attached to the wall 2, for example by nails, adhesive, etc. Although the assembly is shown in sections in fig. 1-3, those skilled in the art will recognize that the base duct 100 and upper rail 102 are typically several feet long to support the fabric, or are sold in smaller sections that abut end to accommodate the width or length of the fabric. Preferably, the base track 100 and upper track 102 are molded and made of a non-flammable additive-ABS plastic such as HB-8054 to be class A for flame propagation and smoke generation. Many existing track assemblies are made of PVC, which emits high levels of smoke and chlorine when subjected to a flame.

With continued reference to fig. 3-6, the base track 100 defines a first hinge half 106 that defines a channel 108. Typically, the hinge portion 106 has a generally C-shape or e-shape, although it is not so limited. Generally, the hinge portion 106 is offset slightly inward from the edge of the lower plate 104, as will be described in more detail herein. The C-shape of the hinge section turns and extends inwardly so that it acts as a rotational guide for a mating hinge member, as will be described in greater detail herein. The curved extensions also facilitate locking of the opposing hinge members compared to prior art designs.

The first half 110 of the snapping clamp is generally opposite the hinge portion 106 and generally defines opposite longitudinal edges. The snapping clamp includes a hook or catch 112 that extends upwardly from the base plate 104 and the wall 2.

The base track 100 of the present invention includes a tension force dissipater. As shown, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the hinge portion 106 extends above or away from the floor 104 of the base track 100. Segments or legs 114 or 116 extend from the first hinge half 106 to the base portion 104. This structure typically forms a generally inverted V-shape. These segments 114, 116 forming dissipaters will be described in more detail herein.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4, the assembly 10 also includes an upper track 102 that cooperates with the base track 100 as described above to form the assembly 10 and tightly lock the fabric 4 in place. The upper track 102 includes a second hinge portion 118 configured to be inserted into the channel 108 of the first hinge portion 106 of the base track 100 and thereby form a hinged and pivotal connection between the base track 100 and the upper track 102, as shown in fig. 5. A second half of the snapping clamp 120 is formed generally opposite the second half of the hinge 118 and includes a hook or catch 122 for engaging with the hook or catch 112 of the base track 100 to form a releasable snapping clamp. The upper track 102 has an upper plate 124, referred to herein, that extends between the hinge portion 118 and the clamping portion 120. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 3-6, the configuration or profile of the upper track 102 is referred to in the industry as square because the upper plate 124 forms a substantially 90 ° angle with the snap clamp portion 120. This configuration creates a substantially square edge on the final fabric panel edge.

In a particularly preferred embodiment shown in fig. 4-6, the upper plate 124 includes a tab 128 extending upwardly therefrom a fraction of an inch. The design and dimensions of the protrusions 128 are determined to enable the fabric 4 to be raised slightly above the parallel mounting surface of the upper plate 124 to minimize reflection of light from the protrusions and the resulting shadow box effect encountered with prior art assemblies. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the fabric is generally positioned and aligned with an alignment band, such as a double-sided band toward the snap clamp portion of the track assembly. It is preferred, although not necessary, that the fabric 4 be secured to the upper plate 124 of the upper track 102 so that the free end of the fabric can be inserted between the tracks 100 and 102 and clamped tightly in place.

The manner in which the first and second base tracks 100 and the upper track 102 cooperate to facilitate stretching and securing of the fabric 4 will now be disclosed by reference to fig. 5 and 6. The base track 100 is typically secured to a wall or other surface, for example, using screws, nails, or the like. The base track 100 of the present invention is designed to provide access for a variety of pneumatic and other tools for fastening purposes. Referring first to fig. 5, the hinge portions 106, 118 of the tracks 100, 102 are operatively connected together by inserting the second hinge portion 118 into the channel 108 of the first hinge portion 106 such that a pivoting relationship is formed between the tracks 100, 102. The fabric 4 then falls onto the upper track 102 and the upper track moves toward the base track 100 until the hook and catch portions 112, 122 or the clamping portions 110, 120 engage one another, thereby securely locking the fabric 4 therebetween, as shown in fig. 6. The result is a tensioned and secured fabric extending between the modules 10 as shown in fig. 1 and 6.

As noted above, especially in one inch systems, the tension of the fabric 4 applies a large magnitude of force to the assembly 10, especially the upper rail 102, which can cause the hinge assembly to bend back and fail, or the entire assembly 10 to deform and move into a generally parallelogram shape. The present invention overcomes the above problems with the addition of a strut 126 extending downwardly toward the base track 100. As shown in fig. 3-6, the strut 126 is angled downwardly from the hinge and dissipater of the assembly 10. The result is that if there is excessive tension and the upper track 102 begins to be pulled rearwardly, the strut 126 will engage the upper track 100 to transmit the tension into the bottom track 100 and thus into the surface of the wall 2. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the strut 126 is configured to move into contact with the hinged portion 106 of the base track 100 such that the force is transmitted to the raised sections 114, 116 of the tension force dissipater so that they are transmitted through the sections 114, 116 to the base plate 104 and the wall 2. Due to the transmission of these forces and the contact between the pillars 126 and the bottom plate 100, the upper plate 102 remains in place and the fabric 4 remains secure. Moreover, the assembly 10 retains its generally square configuration and prevents deformation.

Referring now to fig. 7 and 8, while the present invention has been described above with respect to a square configuration or profile, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the profile may be readily modified. For example, in FIG. 7, the assembly 12 is shown with the base rails 100 having the same configuration, but with the upper plate 124 'of the upper rail 102' having an angled or beveled configuration and profile, which is sometimes desirable.

FIG. 8 is another assembly 14 embodying the present invention, wherein the base track 100 and its constituent components are as described above, but the upper track 102 "has an upper plate 124" with a slope or configuration known in the art, such as a bullnose profile. In addition, these components 12, 14 function in the same manner as described above.

Referring now to fig. 9-11, while a one inch thick system has been shown and described above, the present invention is equally capable of other sizes, such as the illustrated half-inch assemblies 16-20. However, the structure and function of the assemblies 16-20 are as described above, and therefore like reference numerals have been used to identify like structure in these embodiments 16-20.

Referring now to fig. 12, a seam may be formed between two fabrics 4,4 'by positioning the two track assemblies adjacent to each other and clamping the fabrics 4, 4' within the respective snapping clamps. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 12, the two track assemblies may be configured to share a common base track 200. The base track 200 includes opposing hinge portions 206 having tension force dissipaters 214, 216 and a generally planar base plate 204 extending therebetween. Hooks or catches 212 are spaced apart from one another and extend upwardly from base plate 204 to form a snapping clamp with the diametrically opposed upper track 202. As shown, the two upper tracks 202 each support a separate fabric 4, 4' and are deflected towards each other and interlocked with the base track 200. The force applied to the assembly 22 is handled in the same manner as described above using the strut 226 and dissipaters 214, 216. Thus, a tight seam can be formed between the two fabrics 4, 4' without the need to carefully reposition the assembly relative to each other.

Referring now to FIG. 13, another track assembly 24 embodying the present invention is shown. This embodiment 24 is very similar to the embodiment 10 shown and described above with reference to fig. 4-6. Likewise, the assembly 24 includes a base track 300 having a base plate 304, a first hinge portion 306, and a first snap clamp portion 310. Tension force dissipaters 314, 316 elevated with respect to the base plate 304 and again extending from the hinge portion 306 are also formed as part of the base track 300. The upper track 302 includes a second hinge portion 318 that operatively cooperates with the first portion 306 to form a hinge, an upper plate 324 (which in this example is a square profile, but it will be readily appreciated that other profiles are possible) that extends down to a second half 320 of the snapping clamp. The strut 326 extends downwardly toward the base track 300 and particularly toward the second hinge portion 306 and the tension force dissipaters 314, 316. However, in this example, a knob 330 is formed on the base track 300 and particularly on the first hinge portion 306, such that the strut 326 moves into contact with the first hinge portion 306 and is prevented from moving rearwardly by the knob 330.

Referring now to FIG. 14, there is shown another track assembly 26 embodying the present invention. Similar to that shown and described above, the base track 400 includes a base plate 404 having raised portions 414, 416 that define tension force dissipaters. The first hinge portion 406 is preferably elevated relative to the base plate 404 and extends from the tension force dissipaters 414, 416. The first clamping portion 410 is formed generally opposite the hinge portion 406.

The upper track 402 includes a second hinge portion 418 that operably engages the first hinge portion 406 to form a hinge. A second half of the snap clamp portion 420 is formed generally opposite the second hinge portion 418 and is operable to engage and interlock with the first half of the clamp portion 410 of the base track 400. In this example, the upper plate 424 has a bullnose profile, although other profiles are contemplated. In such an assembly 26, the strut 426 of the upper track 402 does not extend downwardly at an angle to the hinge, but rather extends downwardly in front of the hinge portions 406, 418. When excessive force is applied to the upper track 402, however, the strut 426 moves laterally into engagement with the lower hinge half 406, which transmits at least a portion of the tension through the segments 414, 416 to the base plate 404 and thus to the surface or wall 2.

Referring now to fig. 15, there is shown another embodiment of the invention wherein the assembly 28 is similar to that described above, in the sense that it includes a base track 500 and an upper track 502 pivotally connected to each other and capable of interlocking to tension the fabric 4. However, in this example, the segments 514, 516 forming the tension force dissipater extend upwardly from the continuous base plate 504. Segment 516 is slightly separated from hinge first half 506. In this example, the first hinge half 506 is semi-circular to include a slot or keyway 530. The second hinge portion 518 of the upper track 502 includes a tab or key 532 configured to be received within the keyway 530 when the assembly 28 is in the closed and locked position as shown. The second hinge portion 518 is also semi-circular and extends around the first hinge half 506. The strut 526 extends from the upper plate 524 to the second hinge 518. When there is an excess of fabric tension, the strut 526 and the second hinge member 518 engage the first portion of the hinge 506, causing it to transfer the force into the base plate 504. In the extreme case, the hinged portion 506 moves into contact with the segment 516 to further transmit the force into the floor and wall surface 2.

The larger hinge member 506,518, which bends as the outer second hinge half 518 snaps into place and closes, is slightly heavier and more than 220 ° circumferentially, enabling it to be removed and replaced on the inner hinge member 506 due to the slot or keyway 530. When mated, the hinge members 506, 518 may be rotated from a fully open (0 ° angle) to a fully closed and locked position at 90 °, as shown. When in the fully open position, the outer hinge portion 518 rotates on the inner hinge portion 506. When rotated and closed to the locked position, the tab or tab 532 drops into the keyway opening 530, thereby laterally displacing the entire outer portion 518. This latter movement helps the assembly 28 to securely lock the fabric 4 in place.

Referring now to FIG. 16, similar to that described above, the assembly 30 includes a base track 600 and an upper track 602 that are operable to lock and tension the fabric. The base track 600 includes a generally planar base plate 604 having a hinge first half 606 formed at one end thereof and a first snap tab 612 formed at an opposite end thereof.

The first hinge half 606 is formed in a generally C-shape to removably receive the second hinge half 618 of the upper track 602 therein to form a pivotal engagement between the tracks 600, 602. The upwardly extending catch 612 engages a downwardly directed hook 622 of the upper track 622. The serrations 630 frictionally engage the hook 622 and the catch 612 with one another. The fabric may extend around the inner hook 632 to further secure the fabric therein.

In this example, the strut 626 extends downward toward the base track 600 and particularly toward the first hinge half 60. It should be noted that the first half of the hinge 606 is not elevated relative to the base plate 604 and therefore does not have an upwardly extending segment that defines the tension force dissipater of the previous embodiment. Instead, when subjected to excessive tension exerted by the tensioned fabric, the strut 626 moves into engagement with the base track 600, and the hinge member 606 of the base track 600 in this example is configured to prevent the upper track 602 from excessive movement and deformation while transferring a portion of the tension into the base track 600, and thus into the wall surface 2. The protrusions 628 may also be employed to prevent shadowing effects similar to those described above.

The track assembly of the present invention results from a common architectural design prevalent in wall upholstery track systems. The assembly enables tight mounting of fabric or vinyl on a wall or acoustic panel, which can be removed in the future without replacing the entire panel for decorative or device access changes, etc. The invention thus significantly reduces the cost expenditure for the end user. The force applied through the fabric is directed towards the assembled hinge and does not disappear. The assembly is designed to minimize any shadowing effects and to prevent the external element from protruding under increased tension in the event it is rotated and closed. The assembly of the present invention also enables an installer to more easily open and close the assembly without having to resort to hard pounding with a mallet or the like.

Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various changes may be made to each embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims (19)

1. A track assembly for supporting fabric on a surface, comprising:

a base track defining a first half of a hinge and a first half of a snapping clamp; and

an upper track defining a second half of the hinge and a second half of the snapping clamp, and including a strut extending downward toward the base track;

wherein after the base track is secured to the surface, the upper track is hingeable onto the base track by the connection of the first half of the hinge and the second half of the hinge, the upper track being subsequently deflectable about the hinge away from the surface to facilitate placement of the fabric over the second half of the snapping clamp and subsequently deflecting the upper track toward the base track to cause the first and second halves of the snapping clamp to secure the fabric therebetween; and

transferring high tension forces exerted on the upper rail at least partially from the strut to the bottom rail and the surface;

wherein the base track includes a tension force dissipater extending from the first half of the hinge and including a portion that is higher than the base plate of the base track.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the strut is moved into contact with the bottom rail due to high tension.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the strut is moved into contact with the first half of the hinge.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the portion of the tension force dissipater above the floor of the base track forms a generally inverted V-shape.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the struts are directed downwardly toward the tension force dissipater.

6. The assembly of claim 1, including a longitudinal tab extending upwardly from the upper plate adjacent the second half of the snapping clamp to prevent shadowing effects.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second half of the snapping clamp of the upper track comprises a hook and the first half of the snapping clamp of the bottom track comprises a catch, the hook and catch being configured to releasably engage and form the snapping clamp.

8. A track assembly for supporting fabric on a surface, comprising:

a base track defining a first half of a hinge and a first half of a snapping clamp, wherein the base track includes a tension force dissipater extending from the first half of the hinge; and

an upper track defining a second half of a hinge and a second half of a snapping clamp;

wherein after the base track is secured to the surface, the upper track is hingeable onto the base track by the connection of the first and second halves of the hinge, the upper track being subsequently deflectable about the hinge away from the surface to facilitate placement of fabric over the second half of the snapping clamp and subsequently deflecting the upper track towards the base track to cause the first and second halves of the snapping clamp to secure the fabric therebetween; and

transferring high tension forces exerted on the upper rail at least partially from the tension force dissipater to the base rail and the surface;

the tension force dissipater includes a portion of the base plate that is elevated above the base track.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the upper track includes a strut extending downwardly toward the bottom track.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the strut is moved into contact with the bottom rail by the high tension forces.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the struts are directed downwardly toward the tension force dissipater.

12. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the portion of the tension force dissipater above the floor of the base track forms a generally inverted V-shape.

13. The assembly of claim 8 including a tab extending upwardly from the upper plate adjacent the second half of the snapping clamp to prevent shadowing effects.

14. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the second half of the snapping clamp of the upper track comprises a hook and the first half of the snapping clamp of the bottom track comprises a catch, the hook and catch configured to releasably engage and form the snapping clamp.

15. A track assembly for supporting fabric on a surface, comprising:

a base track defining a first half of a hinge and a first half of a snapping clamp, wherein the base track includes a tension force dissipater extending from the first half of the hinge; the tension force dissipater includes a raised portion of the floor of the base track; and

an upper track defining a second half of the hinge and a second half of the snapping clamp, the upper track including a strut extending downward toward the base track;

wherein after the base track is secured to the surface, the upper track is hingeable onto the base track by the connection of the first and second halves of the hinge, the upper track being subsequently deflectable about the hinge away from the surface to facilitate placement of fabric over the second half of the snapping clamp and subsequently deflecting the upper track towards the base track to cause the snapping clamp first and second halves to secure the fabric therebetween; and

high tension forces exerted on the upper track urge the stanchion into contact with the base track and at least partially transmit the tension forces to the tension force dissipater and the surface.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the strut is directed downwardly toward the tension force dissipater.

17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the raised portion forms a generally inverted V-shape.

18. The assembly of claim 15, including a tab extending upwardly from the upper plate adjacent the second half of the snapping clamp to prevent shadowing effects.

19. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the second half of the snapping clamp of the upper track comprises a hook and the first half of the snapping clamp of the bottom track comprises a catch, the hook and catch being configured to releasably engage and form the snapping clamp.