Abstract:
A one-piece metal bracket having a flat main body terminating in a U-shaped downturned lip at one end for snap-fit engagement within an inverted channel formed in a vinyl siding member generally adjacent the point of attachment of the siding member to a support structure. Ends of the lip edge are radiused to facilitate attachment and removal of the clip to and from the siding member. A second end is formed into a support hook forming an acute angle with the main body for supporting an object thereon. In an alternate embodiment, a series of holes in the main body selectively receive an S-hook for supporting an object on the bracket. The bracket is formed as a one-piece member of stainless steel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The invention relates to brackets and in particular, to a bracket which is removably snap-fitted beneath vinyl siding for supporting objects thereon. Even more particularly, the invention relates to such a bracket which is easily attached and removed from the vinyl siding and which is able to support various objects by providing several attachment structures. 
   2. Background Information 
   Various types of brackets have been designed and developed for use with vinyl siding and similar materials in order to suspend objects from the siding, such as Christmas lights, decorative flowers, and other relatively lightweight objects. However, many of these brackets are difficult to install on the siding and to be removed therefrom without damaging the siding. Other brackets require various types of separate fasteners for securing the brackets on the siding. Some examples of brackets used for vinyl or other types of sidings are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,953,015; 4,314,429; 5,275,366; 5,388,802; 5,549,266; 5,669,709; 5,794,384; 6,289,617; 6,434,853; U.S. Publication No. 2002/0186562; and in U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D-312,038 and D-373,948. Many of these prior art brackets are relatively expensive to fabricate for mass market sale and distribution, are difficult to install, and may be satisfactory for specific applications, but do not provide for a variety of uses and ease of mounting and removal of the bracket from the siding. Also, many of these prior art brackets are relatively expensive to fabricate due to the numerous forming operations required and the type of materials used therefor. 
   Therefore, the need exists for an improved bracket which is easily attached to and removed from vinyl siding which is maintenance free, easy to fabricate, and provides for a variety of uses, and is relatively inexpensive to mass produce. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a bracket which is easily fabricated as a one-piece member formed of stainless steel preferably having a gauge of approximately 20, which includes a generally flat body with a downturned lip at one end which is adapted to be engaged by a snap-fit connection with a curved inverted channel formed on overlapped vinyl siding; and in which the edges of the downturned lip have curved ends to provide for and facilitate the installation and removal of the clip on and from the vinyl siding. 
   Another feature of the invention is to provide the bracket with a supporting end in one embodiment, having an outwardly extending angled leg which forms an acute angle with the main body of the bracket for supporting various types of objects therefrom, in a second embodiment, the main body is formed with a plurality of holes for receiving an S hook or other type of support member, and in a third embodiment the bracket has an adjustable strap secured thereto for supporting other types of objects. 
   Still another aspect of the invention is to form the bracket of a one-piece stainless steel having a uniform thickness throughout of approximately 0.0355 inches, with an overall length of approximately 4.6 inches, and a width of approximately 1.25 inches thereby making it rust-resistant and providing sufficient stiffness thereto, enabling it to support various objects without deforming and injuring the supporting vinyl siding members. 
   These features and advantages are obtained by the one-piece bracket of the present invention, the general nature of which may be stated as including a generally flat main body terminating in a first end adapted to snap-fit engage one of the vinyl siding members, and a second end opposite of said first end for receivably supporting an object thereon; said first end being an inverted U-shaped portion having a web extending from the main body and terminating in an attachment leg spaced from and extending generally parallel with the main body, the attachment leg terminating in curved or rounded ends to facilitate attachment of the bracket to one of the siding members; the second end including a hook connected to the main body by a curved portion and extending at an acute angle with respect to the main body for supporting an object thereon; said inverted U-shaped portion of the bracket being complementary to an inverted channel formed in one of the siding members for snap-fit engagement therewith. These features and advantages are further obtained by the method of the present invention which includes the steps of providing a bracket having a main body terminating at one end in a downturned lip, inserting the lip upwardly between a pair of overlapping side members, and snap-fit engaging the lip in a complementary shaped inverted channel formed in one of the siding members. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best modes in which applicant contemplates applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bracket of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the bracket of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a right side elevational view of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a front elevational view showing the bracket of  FIG. 1  mounted on a longitudinal extending vinyl siding member; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken on line  5 — 5 ,  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  are enlarged fragmentary sectional views of the encircled portion of  FIG. 5  showing the manner of attaching the bracket to the vinyl siding member; 
       FIG. 6A  is an enlarged fragmentary view of the downturned lip portion of the bracket; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the improved vinyl siding bracket; and 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the improved vinyl siding bracket. 
   

   Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   A first embodiment of the bracket of the present invention is indicated generally at  1 , and is shown particularly in  FIGS. 1–7 . Bracket  1  includes a main generally flat planar body  2  having front and rear surfaces  4  and  4 A, respectively, and terminating at an upper end  3  which is in the form of a downturned lip which includes a web wall  5  and a downwardly extending lip  6 . Lip  6  is spaced from and parallel with front surface  4  of main body  2  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6A , providing a U-shaped slot  8  therebetween. Lip  6  terminates in an edge  9  which extends across the width of body  2 , and in accordance with one of the features of the invention terminates in radiused or curved rounded end edges  10 . This rounded edge configuration has been found to greatly facilitate the insertion and removal of the bracket and in particular, upper end  3  thereof, from a longitudinal edge of a siding member  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 4–7  and discussed further below. 
   The opposite or bottom end of bracket  1  includes a support hook indicated generally at  15 , which includes a curved web  16  and an upwardly extending angled leg  17 . Leg  17  forms an acute angle A with respect to front surface  4  of main body  2 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , which is within the general range of 30° and 55°, with a preferable angle being approximately 45°. 
   In the preferred embodiment, bracket  1  is formed of stainless steel material such as stainless  302 , having a 20 gauge with a width W of approximately 1.25 inches and a length L of approximately 4.6 inches, with bracket leg  17  having a length L, of approximately 1.5 inches. These dimensions and particular material has been found to provide the desired rigidity and strength, enabling bracket  1  to support various types and weights of objects on hook  17  without losing its supporting angle A or deforming the bracket. However, these parameters, although preferred, may vary without effecting the concept of the invention. 
   In accordance with one of the main features of the invention, downturned lip  6  ( FIG. 6A ) is spaced from rear surface  4 A of body  2  a distance X, a distance which is complementary to the internal spacing of an inverted channel  18  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ) formed by an inwardly curved leg  25  of siding member  12 , which extends from a longitudinally extending nailing flange  23  by a curved portion or leg  26 . This reversely curved portion formed by legs  25  and  26  provides stiffness to the siding member for receiving an upturned leg  24  formed on the end of a straight leg portion  27  at the bottom of the upper adjacent siding member in a usual overlapping siding installation. Leg  24  extends into channel  18  and leg portion  27  abuts the bottom of curved portion  26  to form the standard interlocking engagement of adjacent vinyl siding members. 
   The manner of using bracket  1  is shown particularly in  FIGS. 4–7 , which shows a pair of longitudinally extending vinyl members  12  which are secured to a supporting wall  21  by a nail  22 . Bracket  1  is installed by moving it upwardly in the direction of arrow A ( FIG. 6 ) which will slide past leg  24  and snap into engagement within inverted channel  18  of siding member  12  just below nailing strip  23 . The particular curved shape of the vinyl siding adjacent nailing strip  23  by curved portion  26  and channel  18  provides rigidity at the nailing area, and the inwardly curved portion of downturned leg  25 , which forms channel  18 , snaps back into its normal at-rest position as shown in  FIG. 7  after lip  6  has been inserted into channel  18 . This forms a solid locking engagement with lip  6 , preventing the bracket from being pulled outwardly from its snap-fit engagement in channel  18 . Upturned leg  24  will extend upwardly toward U-shaped channel  8  formed by lip  6  to provide a safety stop should lip  6  become disengaged prematurely from its snap-fit engagement within channel  18 . However, the particular configuration of lip  6 , as shown in  FIG. 6A , which is complementary to the internal shape of channel  18 , in combination with the inwardly curved portion of flexible leg  25 , securely retains lip  6  therein, as shown in  FIG. 7 , to provide the ability of bracket  1  to support a load at its opposite end. Also, this arrangement prevents force from being exerted on leg  24  at the lower end of the upper adjacent vinyl siding member  12  by bracket  1  and the supported weight pulling it away from the adjacent lower siding panel as occurs in certain types of prior art vinyl siding hanging brackets. 
   Many types of vinyl siding panels or members have this curved configuration formed by leg portions  25  and  26  and channel  18  adjacent nailing flange  23 , which have a standard dimension enabling bracket  1  to be compatible therewith. In the preferred embodiment, distance X, as shown in  FIG. 6A , will be 0.179 inches, with dimension Y being 0.132 inches. These dimensions have been found to provide the desired snap-fit engagement with the curved area just beneath the nailing flange  23 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the slightly inwardly curved portion  28  of leg  25  will retain lip  6  in a secured position within channel  18 . 
   In accordance with another feature of the invention, it has been found that radiused edges  10  greatly facilitate the insertion and removal of bracket  1  with respect to curved leg  25 , without damaging the vinyl siding members. Without the radiused ends  10 , the edges of similar bracket legs would bind or dig into the surrounding vinyl material, making the installation, and especially removal of the bracket therefrom, considerably more difficult and damaging to the siding. 
   A second embodiment of the vinyl siding bracket is shown in  FIG. 8  and is indicated generally at  30 . Bracket  30  includes a main flat planar body  31 , similar to body  2  discussed above, and has the same upper end  3  discussed previously. In this embodiment, hook  15  is replaced with one or more holes  32  in body  31  into which an S-shaped hook  33  or other type of support member, is removably inserted for subsequently suspending an object on bracket  30 . Again, the same type, size, and material is used for bracket  30  as for bracket  1  discussed above. 
   Another embodiment of the improved bracket is shown in  FIG. 9  and is indicated generally at  40 . Bracket  40  is generally similar to bracket  30 , discussed above, in that it has no support hook  15  at its lower end, but instead, uses an adjustable strap  41 , preferably formed of flexible plastic, which is secured to bracket  40  by a rivet  42  or other type fastener. Strap  41  can support various types of items such as a tapered flower pot, or similar object. Again, the upper end of body  31  is formed with the same unique upper end  3  as discussed previously for snap-fit engagement with the curved stiffening area of the vinyl siding member adjacent nailing flange  23 . 
   In summary, the improved bracket of the present invention provides an easily formed one-piece member formed of stainless steel, which has sufficient rigidity for supporting objects on vinyl siding, in which the upper end of the generally flat planar main body is formed with a downturned lip having radiused ends to facilitate the insertion and removal of the bracket on and from overlapped vinyl siding; and which has a configuration complementary to an inverted channel formed in many types of vinyl members to provide for a snap-fit engagement therebetween. This snap-fit engagement places the weight of the supported object at the reinforced stiff area of the siding member avoiding it from being exerted on the more flexible, less stiff lower end thereof. 
   The dimensions and types of material for bracket  1  set forth above have been found to provide a very satisfactory strong bracket which can be mass produced relatively inexpensive for numerous uses for suspending objects from vinyl siding in a relatively simple and efficient manner. 
   In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
   Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.