Tensionally secured screening panel

An integrally formed panel comprising:

• an annular member defining a longitudinally extending cavity for engaging a picket;
• at least a first distal panel extending away from said longitudinally extending cavity for screening;
• said annular member further comprising:
• a longitudinally extending slot in communication with said longitudinally extending cavity for receiving and releasing said picket;
• a locking tab and an anchor lock along opposite sides of said longitudinally extending slot for releasably and tensionally securing said annular member to said picket, said anchor lock extending away from said longitudinally extending cavity and projecting angularly from the adjoining portion of said annular member, and said locking tab extending toward said anchor lock;
• a prying means for receiving a lever and prying force to releasably latch said locking tab to said anchor lock;
• said prying means adjacent to said locking tab and extending away from said longitudinally extending cavity;
• a hinge between said locking tab and said anchor lock for flexibly opening said annular member to receive and release said picket;
• wherein said annular member has a transition along each side of said hinge for transitioning from a substantially uniform thickness of said annular member down to said hinge having a substantially uniform thickness that is less than the substantially uniform thickness of said annular member for flexibility;
• a corner adjacent said locking tab for cooperating with said hinge to open said annular member to receive and release said picket;
• said corner has a curvilinear cross section extending outward from said longitudinally extending cavity and said hinge has a curvilinear cross section extending outward from said longitudinally extending cavity;
• a spring between said corner and said hinge for tensioning said annular member;
• an anchor flange adjacent said anchor lock extending into said longitudinally extending cavity for anchoring said annular member to said picket;
• whereby as forces are applied to said integrally formed panel, spring, said corner, and/or said prying means, said locking tab may be deflected toward said anchor lock, and as forces and related deflections increase, said locking tab contacts said anchor lock and resists releasably latching during handling, shipping, or displaying;
• and
• whereby said picket may be received into said annular member and said anchor flange may be engaged with said picket, and as forces are applied to said spring, said corner, and/or said prying means, said spring is deflected toward said picket and said locking tab is deflected toward said anchor lock while said anchor flange resists movement or slippage on said picket as said spring starts to tension said annular member, and as forces are increased and deflections increase and as said anchor flange continues to resist movement or slippage on said picket, the tension continues to increase and said locking tab contacts said anchor lock and resists releasably latching, and as other additional forces are applied to overcome resisting releasably latching, the tension further increases as said locking tab passes under said anchor lock to tensionally secure said annular member to said picket.

An integrally formed panel made of PVC comprising:

• an annular member defining a longitudinally extending cavity for engaging a picket;
• a first distal panel and a second distal panel each substantially centered and substantially perpendicular to the respective portions of said annular member from which the first distal panel and second distal panel extend for screening;
• said first distal panel and said second distal panel extending away from each other and said longitudinally extending cavity;
• said annular member further comprising:
• a longitudinally extending slot in communication with said longitudinally extending cavity for receiving and releasing said picket;
• a locking tab and an anchor lock along opposite sides of said longitudinally extending slot for releasably and tensionally securing said annular member to said picket, said anchor lock extending away from said longitudinally extending cavity and projecting angularly from the adjoining portion of said annular member, and said locking tab extending toward said anchor lock;
• a prying means for receiving a lever and prying force to releasably latch said locking tab to said anchor lock;
• said prying means adjacent to said locking tab and extending away from said longitudinally extending cavity;
• a hinge between said locking tab and said anchor lock for flexibly opening said annular member to receive and release said picket, wherein said hinge has an inside radius that is greater than one thickness of said hinge;
• a corner adjacent said locking tab for cooperating with said hinge to open said annular member to receive and release said picket, wherein said corner has a curvilinear cross section extending outward from said longitudinally extending cavity and said hinge has a curvilinear cross section extending outward from said longitudinally extending cavity, said corner has an inside radius greater than one thickness of said hinge and about three to eight times the thickness of said hinge;
• a spring between said corner and said hinge for tensioning said annular member;
• and
• an anchor flange adjacent said anchor lock extending into said longitudinally extending cavity for anchoring said annular member to said picket and for resisting releasably latching said locking tab to said anchor lock during handling, shipping, or displaying, said anchor flange adapted for contacting said spring and providing additional support for leveraging to increase the tension in said annular member and tensionally secure said annular member to said picket;
• whereby as forces are applied to said integrally formed panel, said spring, said corner, and/or said prying means, said locking tab may be deflected toward said anchor lock, and as forces and related deflections increase, said anchor flange contacts said spring and simultaneously said locking tab contacts said anchor lock and resists releasably latching during handling, shipping, or displaying;
• and
• whereby said picket may be received into said annular member and said anchor flange may be engaged to said picket, and as forces are applied to said spring, said corner, and/or said prying means, said spring is deflected toward said picket and said locking tab is deflected toward said anchor lock while said anchor flange resists movement or slippage on said picket as said spring starts to tension said annular member, and as forces are increased and deflections increase and as said anchor flange continues to resist movement or slippage on said picket, the tension continues to increase and said anchor flange contacts said spring and simultaneously said locking tab contacts said anchor lock and resists releasably latching, and as other additional forces are applied to overcome resisting releasably latching, the tension further increases as said locking tab passes under said anchor lock and said anchor flange contacts said spring providing additional support for leveraging to increase the tension in said annular member and tensionally secure said annular member to said picket.