Patent Publication Number: US-7908821-B2

Title: Post wrap device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to an apparatus for concealing and/or protecting a portion of a support member, such as the base of a post. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Various types of devices have been developed in attempts to conceal and/or protect the bases of posts. Many of these devices comprise a monolithic sleeve which can be slid over the top of a post and brought down to cover the base of the post. Other devices comprise two portions which can be brought in contact with one another to surround the portion of the post to be concealed. 
     In many applications, particularly in the construction industry, it is desirable to provide an apparatus which is capable of covering the base of a post. In certain embodiments, such coverage is primarily an aesthetic feature, but in other embodiments, such coverage may provide protection to the base of the post and any associated components, as well as protection to persons who otherwise may be injured by contact with the covered elements, such as bolts and brackets. A post such as one used, for example, in the construction of a deck, is often secured to a slab or footing through the use of a large post bracket. An exposed post bracket may be both a safety hazard, as well as aesthetically unappealing, particularly when other protective materials, such as sealants, have been applied at the base of the post. In order to conceal such post brackets and other fixtures, a structure may be provided which covers the base of the post, enclosing the post bracket or other components of the post. In addition to the safety and aesthetic benefits of such a structure, these devices can also be used to protect the base of the post, such as by preventing water from pooling at the base of the post. 
     As discussed above, in certain existing art devices, the protective structure takes the form of a sleeve, which is slid over the top of the post once the base of the post has been fixed in place, but must be applied prior to securing anything to the top of the post, such as components of a deck to be supported. The timing of such application may be inconvenient, however, as the use of such a device requires the protective device to be applied essentially prior to the use of the post as a support. In addition, if such a device is damaged, or if one desires to remove or replace the device for any other reason, such removal would be extremely inconvenient, and replacement may not be possible. 
     Other existing devices are formed from two separate components, which can be brought together to form a protective structure. While these devices can be applied at any point in the construction process, and thus address one of the problems with the monolithic sleeve devices, they share other drawbacks with those devices. Of particular concern is their lack of adjustability to variances in post dimensions. Previously available devices have been sized to fit a particular post dimension. However, posts utilized in the construction industry, particularly timber posts, have a substantial amount of variance in their actual dimensions. 
     In addition to variance which exists at the time of cutting the wood post, the dimensions of the post may vary throughout the life of the post in response to absorbtion or evaporation of moisture. Such two-part devices cannot easily take into account such variances in post dimension, and the resulting structure is likely to either be too small for the post, resulting in stress and potential damage to the device upon device installation, or too large for the post, resulting in an undesirably large gap between the post and the edges of the protective device. These variations in size can hinder the usefulness of the structure as a protective device, in addition to being aesthetically unappealing. 
     To some extent, these issues can be addressed if protective structures are constructed on-site for each post base, taking into account the current dimensions of the post. However, production of such custom protective structures requires a considerable amount of work and expense on the part of the tradesmen working on-site, and do not fully address the potential variance in the dimensions of the post over the lifetime of the device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided for enclosing a portion of a member, including a plurality of corner components, each of the plurality of corner components configured to contact a different portion of the member, and each of the plurality of corner components configured to adjustably and mechanically be connected to another of the corner components such that the corner components are adjustable with respect to one another so as to be secured against the member. 
     In another embodiment, an apparatus is provided for enclosing a portion of a member, the apparatus including a plurality of components, and the components cooperating to define a perimeter, wherein the components are configured to mechanically be connected to one another and are adjustable to vary the size of the perimeter to enclose a portion of the member. 
     In another embodiment, a method for enclosing a portion of a member is provided, the method including adjustably connecting a plurality of components to one another about the surface of a member so as to define a perimeter, said perimeter coinciding with the dimensions of the member. 
     In yet another embodiment, an apparatus for enclosing a portion of a member is provided, the apparatus comprising means for enclosing a portion of a member, means for retaining the enclosing means against the surface of the member, and means for adjustably connecting said enclosing means. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of an assembled post wrap device in place around a post. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of an intermediate component of the post wrap device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2B  is a side view of the intermediate component of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2C  is a top view of the intermediate component of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2D  is another side view of the intermediate component of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of a corner component of the post wrap device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view of the corner component of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3C  is another side view of the corner component of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3D  is a top view of the corner component of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3E  is a view from underneath the corner component of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3F  is a detailed view of section  3 F of  FIG. 3E . 
         FIG. 4A  is a side view of a spring member which may be utilized in conjunction with the corner component of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4B  is a cross-section of the spring member of  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of a bracket which may be utilized in conjunction with the corner component of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 5B  is a cross-section of the bracket of  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 6A  is view from underneath the assembled post wrap device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6B  is a detailed view of section  6 B of  FIG. 6A . 
         FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of a corner component which forms a part of an alternate embodiment of a post wrap device. 
         FIG. 7B  is a side view of the corner component of  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 7C  is another side view of the corner component of  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 8A  is a cross-section of an assembled post wrap device utilizing the corner components of  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 8B  is a view from underneath the assembled post wrap device of  FIG. 8A . 
         FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of a corner component which forms part of another embodiment of a post wrap device. 
         FIG. 9B  is a side view of the corner component of  FIG. 9B . 
         FIG. 10A  is a perspective view of a sliding spring clamp which is usable in conjunction with the corner component of  FIG. 9A  in the post wrap device. 
         FIG. 10B  is a view from underneath the sliding spring clamp of  FIG. 10A . 
         FIG. 10C  is a side view of the sliding spring clamp of  FIG. 10A . 
         FIG. 10D  is another side view of the sliding spring clamp of  FIG. 10A . 
         FIG. 11A  is a perspective view of an alternate corner component which can be used with a sliding spring clamp. 
         FIG. 11B  is another perspective view, seen from underneath, of the corner component of  FIG. 11A . 
         FIG. 11C  is a side view of the corner component of  FIG. 11A . 
         FIG. 12A  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a sliding spring clamp, which may be used with the corner component of  FIG. 11A . 
         FIG. 12B  is a view from underneath the sliding spring clamp of  FIG. 12A . 
         FIG. 12C  is a side view of the sliding spring clamp of  FIG. 12B . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In contrast to existing devices, embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-component protective post wrap apparatus which can be applied at any time during in the construction process and which can readily adjust to variances in both the initial dimensions of a post and any variance which may result over time. In addition, due to the adjustability of these devices, the necessary components may be manufactured in large quantities, reducing the cost of the apparatus. The post wrap apparatus may alternately be referred to as a skirt, an apron, or a shroud. Generally, embodiments of the post wrap apparatus described herein serve to circumscribe the extremity of a member, and may serve to protect, embellish or conceal the termination and/or connection of interconnecting frame components or members. 
     For convenience, the terms post and base are used throughout this application, but it will be understood that embodiments of the present invention may be applied at any point where a member meets another surface, in order to cover the portion of the member proximate the surface. For instance, if desired, the protective structures described herein may be applied at the end of a beam which intersects a wall, or at a point in a frame where one member intersects another member. 
     In a first embodiment, a post wrap apparatus includes a plurality of corner components and an equal number of intermediate components. The number of corner and intermediate components is dependent upon the cross-sectional shape of the post to be covered. In a typical embodiment, the post will be rectangular in cross-section, and the post wrap apparatus will include four corner components and four intermediate components. An example of such an embodiment is depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an assembled post wrap apparatus  10 , which has been applied around a rectangular post  12 . The post wrap apparatus  10  comprises four corner components  14 , each of which is configured to slidably interact with an intermediate component  16 , one on each of the two sides of the corner component  14 . In this way, it can be seen that such a post wrap apparatus  10  can be assembled around a post after the post is fixed into place, without the need to slide the assembled apparatus down over the top of the post. Thus, the post wrap apparatus  10  can be readily placed around the post base at any time during or after construction of the structure supported by the post  12 , and may also be removed or adjusted at any time. 
     With respect to  FIG. 2A , it can be seen that, in the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate component  16  comprises an exterior face  20  having positive rail features  22  extending horizontally along the exterior face  20 . These rail features  22  serve to define negative groove features  24  which are configured to receive corresponding glides, or rail features, located on the corner components to be describe hereinafter with reference to  FIG. 3A . The mating relationship of the grooves  24  and the glides facilitates the slidable and adjustable interconnection of the two components. In the illustrated embodiment, several such rail and groove features are provided on the intermediate component, in order to provide a secure connection, as well as an aesthetically pleasing appearance. However, it will be understood that in other embodiments, fewer or greater numbers of rail and groove features may be provided on the intermediate components. In addition, it will be understood that other shapes may be utilized to permit the desired slidable interconnection. 
     As can be best seen in  FIG. 2B , in a preferred embodiment, the underside of the rail features  22  is undercut slightly, and the corresponding rail features on the corner component will have a complimentary profile (See, e.g.,  FIG. 3A ). This undercut constrains movement of a corner component relative to an interlocked intermediate component to a direction parallel to the axes of the groove features, preventing the corner component from moving away from a surface of the post without the intermediate component moving, as well. 
     The intermediate component  16  also comprises an interior vertical face  26 , which is configured to be positioned flush against a face of the post when the post wrap apparatus  10  is in an assembled state. The component  16  also comprises an upper surface  28 , which in preferred embodiments slopes downwards away from the interior face  26 , so that water runs off the surface  28 , away from the post. Intermediate component  16  also comprises two angled side faces  30 , one on each side of the intermediate component. In a preferred embodiment, the angled side faces  30  are arranged at a 45 degree angle to the front face  20  and interior face  26 , such that if necessary, one intermediate component  16  can be brought into contact with another intermediate component  16 , in order to adjust the size of the perimeter defined by the upper portions of the post wrap device in order to snugly fit against a post having a small dimension. 
     It can be seen by reference to  FIG. 3A  that the corner component  16  comprises two vertical interior faces  34  oriented orthogonally to one another. Glides  36 , which are elongated members having a constant cross-sectional shape, are located on each of these interior faces  34 , and configured to slidably interconnect with the grooves  24  on the exterior face  20  of the intermediate components  16 . These glides  36  extend horizontally, in the illustrated embodiment, from one edge of the interior face to the other. In preferred embodiments, the glides  36  have an undercut on their upper surface, so that matching edge on the rail  22  on the intermediate component  16  covers the glides, and prevents water retention on the interior of the post wrap apparatus. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 3A , corner component  14  also includes upper interior faces  38 , which like the interior face  26  of intermediate component  16 , are configured to be positioned flush against the sides of the post  12  when the post wrap apparatus is assembled. The corner component  14  further includes upper portions  40 , which are preferably sloped at the same angle as the upper surface  28  of the intermediate component, such that the intermediate component can slide underneath the upper portions  40 . In further embodiments (not shown), the corner component may comprise a spacer member located near the bottom of the corner component, which extends outward from the vertical interior faces  34  and is configured to contact the surfaces of the post, preventing the lower portion of the corner component from being pulled too far towards the post. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, as best seen in the bottom plan view of  FIG. 3E , the corner component may be formed from two separate pieces  44  which are then joined together to form the corner component. Such a process advantageously simplifies the fabrication of the post wrap apparatus components, permitting the use of, for example, an extrusion process to fabricate the components in an inexpensive manner. In the illustrated embodiment, it can be further seen that the two pieces  44  are joined together through the use of a spline  46  within a cavity  48 , also referred to as a kerf, which extends into each of the two pieces  44  and runs vertically through the corner of the corner component  14 . The pieces  44  can then be joined together through, for example, filling the remainder of the cavity  48  with a curing sealant. The spline  46  can preferably have a contoured surface, as shown, in order to enhance the retention of the sealant, preventing the spline from being pulled away from the surrounding sealant. As can be seen in  FIG. 3B , a chamfered spine  52  can be used in a similar fashion to join the upper portions  40  to one another. 
     As can also be seen in  FIG. 3E , in the illustrated embodiment the spline  46  forms a portion of a spring member  56 , which extends inward from the interior of the corner component  14  towards the post. This can be seen in greater detail in  FIG. 3F , which is a detailed view of a portion of  FIG. 3E . As will be discussed in greater detail below, the spring member  56  extends from the corner component  14  to a location where it is fixed to the post, and the restoring force of the spring serves to hold the corner component, and particularly the interior faces  28  of the corner component, secure against the surfaces of the post  12 . 
       FIG. 4A  depicts a side view of the spring member  56 , which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a single elongated piece. In one embodiment, the spring member  56  is a polymeric spring member. In some embodiments, the spring member  56  may be fabricated by an extrusion process, and may comprise a polymeric material such as acetal or noryl. As can be seen in  FIG. 4B , a cross-sectional view of the spring member  56 , the spring member comprises a glide  58  on the end of the spring member opposite the spline  46 . In alternate embodiments, the spring member  56  may be a component distinct from the spline  46 , particularly in embodiments in which a spline is not used to join the corner component  14  together. The spring member may also be shaped differently. For instance, the spring member may not comprise an elongated portion extending along most of the length of the corner component, or more than one spring member may be included per corner component. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  depict a bracket  60 , also referred to as a post slide or a sliding latch, which may be secured to a corner of the post prior to the securing of the post wrap apparatus around the post.  FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of the bracket  60  and  FIG. 5B  is a cross-section of the bracket. The bracket  60  comprises wings  62  which can be used to secure the bracket to the post, as well as a channel  64  running the length of the bracket, configured to receive the slide  58  of the spring member  56 . As can be seen in the perspective view of  FIG. 5A , the upper portion of the bracket may be notched to facilitate reception of the slide  58 . 
       FIG. 6A  depicts a cross-section of the assembled and secured post wrap apparatus, and  FIG. 6B  is a detailed cross-section of one corner of the post wrap apparatus. As can be seen, the bracket  60  has been secured to the post  12 . The glide  58  of the spring member  56  has then been received by the channel  64  of the bracket  60 . The restoring force of the spring member secures the corner component  14  flush against the corner of the post  12 , and the corner components  14 , in turn, pull the intermediate components  16  against the surfaces of the post  12 . Advantageously, because the components are held in place by the restoring force of the spring members, and are not fixed relative to one another, the post wrap apparatus will be self-adjusting if there is any change in the cross-sectional dimensions of the post over time. 
     In one embodiment, a process for applying such a post wrap apparatus to the base of a post includes first securing the brackets  60  to the post  12 . The corner components  14  and the intermediate components  16  may then be fixed to one another around a location on the post  12  located away from the brackets  60 , defining a perimeter around the post. Typically, the components  14  and  16  will be assembled at a location on the post which is farther from the base of the post than the brackets are from the base of the post. The corner components  14  and the intermediate components  16  are then brought towards the brackets  60  so that the glides  58  of the spring members  56  enter and are retained by the channels  64  of the brackets  60 . 
     In a second embodiment a post wrap apparatus  70  comprises a plurality of corner components as depicted in  FIGS. 7A-7C . In this embodiment, no intermediate components are utilized. Rather, each corner component  70  comprises a wing portion  72  extending from one side of the corner component, and configured to slidably interconnect with an open side  73  another corner component  70 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7A , the open side  73  of the corner component  70 , configured to receive and retain the wing portion  72  of the adjacent corner component, comprises features designed to constrain movement of the wing portion in undesirable directions. In this embodiment, the corner component  70  comprises a protrusion  74  extending from the upper interior surface of the corner component. This protrusion  74  is configured to restrain the upper portion of the wing portion  72 , which in this embodiment is a raised member extending the length of the upper interior surface of the corner component in a direction parallel to the wall of the open side  73 . The corner component  70  also comprises a groove  76  configured to receive and retain the lower portion of the wing portion  72 , and defined by a lipped member located near the base of the corner component extending horizontally along the open side  73  of the corner component  70 . 
     As with the corner component  14  discussed above, the corner component  70  comprises two upper interior faces  82  orthogonal to one another, and configured to contact the surfaces of the post. The corner component  70  also comprises a spacer member  84 , which in the illustrated embodiment is a substantially horizontal planar member extending from the interior walls of the corner component and located near the base of the corner component. The spacer member  84  has a notched corner which defines two interior faces  86  configured to contact the surfaces of the post and prevent the lower portion of the corner component from sliding inwards toward the post. A gap  88  is provided between the spacer member  84  and the wall of the corner component  70  in order to accept a wing portion  72  of another corner component. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 7A , the corner components  70  in the illustrated embodiment comprise two apertures  90  which extend through a wall of the corner component and through two bosses  92  located on the interior of the corner components. It can be seen, in the illustrated embodiment, that the apertures are located the same distance from the corner of the corner component, with one of the apertures located near the upper surface of the corner component and the other located near the base of the corner component. The wing portions  72  also comprise a pair of bosses  94  having apertures  96  extending through them. The respective bosses  96  are at the same heights as the respective bosses  92 , and the apertures  90  of bosses  92  are aligned with the apertures  94  extending through bosses  96 , such that a fastener can be inserted through the upper boss  92  of a first corner component and extend through the upper boss  96  of a second corner component. 
       FIG. 8A  depicts a side view of the assembled post wrap apparatus  100 , and  FIG. 8B  depicts a view of the assembled post wrap apparatus from underneath. It can be seen in  FIGS. 8A and 8B  that the corner components  70  have been slidably interconnected with one another. Subsequently, fasteners  102  have been inserted through the apertures  90  of bosses  92  of one corner component  70 , and into the apertures  94  of bosses  96  located on the wing section  72  of another corner component, securing the corner components to one another. In one embodiment, the bosses  96  comprise a threaded insert, and the fastener  102  comprises a threaded screw, such as a machine screw. In another embodiment, the fastener  102  comprises a self-tapping screw. 
     It will be understood that the post wrap apparatus is thus adjustable to allow coverage of posts having a wide variety of dimensions, as the distance which the wing portion of one corner component is inserted into the adjacent corner component can be varied. While this post wrap apparatus  100  is not self-adjusting to subsequent variations in post size, the post wrap apparatus retains the advantages of being installable at any point in the construction process and adjustable to fit a wide variety of post dimensions. Further, the post wrap apparatus can be easily adjusted manually to accommodate subsequent changes in post dimensions. 
     In a third embodiment, components of which are illustrated in  FIGS. 9A-9B  and  10 A- 10 D, a post wrap apparatus comprises a plurality of corner components  112 , described herein with respect to  FIGS. 9A-9B , and a plurality of sliding spring clamps  140  described in greater detail below with respect to  FIGS. 10A-10D .  FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of a corner component  112 , and  FIG. 9B  is a side view of the corner component. To some extent, the design of the corner component  112  is similar to the design of the corner components  70  discussed above. The corner component  112  also includes a wing portion  114  which is configured to slidably interconnect with a wing portion of an adjacent corner component. In order to prevent the wing portion  114  of an interlocked corner component from moving towards or away from the post, the corner component  112  includes a raised member  116  extending across the upper interior surface of the corner component which is configured to restrain an upper portion of a wing portion  114 . The corner component  114  also includes a groove  118  defined by a lipped member extending along the length of the open side  115  of the corner component near the base of the component, where the lip member is shaped to receive and retain the lower portion of a wing portion  114 . 
     In addition, the corner component comprises two upper interior faces  122  orthogonal to one another, and configured to contact the surfaces of the post. The corner component  112  also comprises a spacer member  124  extending outward from the wing side of the corner component. The spacer member  124  has an interior face  126  configured to contact the surface of the post parallel to the wing portion  114  and to maintain the desired spacing. The spacer member  124  has a t-shaped cross section wherein the flat surface of the spacer member faces the open side  115  of the corner component  114 , providing an area free from obstruction in which the sliding spring clamp, discussed in greater detail below, can be positioned. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the corner component  112  comprises a groove  132  located along the interior surface of the corner component on the same side as the wing portion  114  and extending upwards from the base of the corner component to a point more than halfway up the interior surface of the corner component. The groove  132  is configured to receive a first slide, or rail feature, of a sliding spring clamp  140  (not shown). The corner component also includes comprises a stop  134  located near the base of the device and near the groove  132 , which is configured to retain the sliding spring clamp. Preferably, the stop  134  has a rounded edge (not shown) facing downward, and a flat edge facing upward, so that a corresponding stop on the sliding spring clamp can be easily passed in one direction, but provide greater retention if the sliding spring clamp is attempted to be moved in the other direction. 
     The illustrated corner component  112  also includes two parallel grooves  136   a  and  136   b  located on the interior of the wing section and extending down a portion of the wing section, each of which is configured to receive a second slide of the sliding spring clamp. These grooves  136   a  and  136   b  are oriented at an angle to the groove  132 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 9A , it can be seen in the illustrated embodiment that the members  135  extending from the wing portion and defining the grooves  136   a  and  136   b  have lower surfaces which are at an angle to the base of the corner component  112  and are angled toward the grooves, forming lead-in angles  137 . The existence of these lead-in angles  137  on the underside of the members  135  greatly facilitates the assembly of the post wrap apparatus. This is because the slide of a sliding spring clamp, such as the slide  146  of the spring clamp  140  discussed below, will be guided naturally towards the appropriate groove when the spring clamp is pushed against the members  135  during the assembly process. This enables “blind” assembly of the final post wrap apparatus, a very helpful feature, as it could be very difficult to see the grooves  136   a  and  136   b  during assembly of the post wrap apparatus around a member. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 10A , the sliding spring clamp  140  comprises two essentially planar sections  142   a  and  142   b  oriented at an angle to one another, and oriented such that the angle between the two planar surfaces varies over the height of the spring clamp, the angle becoming smaller near the bottom  143  of the spring clamp. The sliding spring clamp  140  also comprises two slides,  144  and  146 , located on either side of the spring clamp. Slide  144  is configured to be received vertically by groove  132  on the interior of corner component  112 . As with the slide  58  forming a part of the spring member  56 , the slides  144  and  146  comprise an elongated section having a substantially consistent cross-sectional shape. The slides  144  and  146  are attached to the rest of the spring clamp by a narrower portion, such that the glide can be slidably inserted into a groove or channel but restrained from moving in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the channel or groove. Slide  146  is oriented at the same angle to slide  144  as the grooves  136   a  and  136   b  are oriented with respect to the groove  132 . Slide  146  is thus configured to be received by either groove  136   a  or  136   b.    
     With respect to  FIG. 10A , it can be seen that a stop  148  is located near the slide  144  and near the top edge  141  of the spring clamp  140 , and is configured to contact stop  134  of the corner component  112  and thereby constrain the movement of the sliding spring clamp relative to the corner component, as discussed above. In the illustrated embodiment, the interaction between the stop  134  of the corner component  114  and the stop  148  of the sliding spring clamp  140  permits the spring clamp to be retained in place when the slide  146  is either not inserted into a groove  136   a  or  136   b , or is only partially inserted into a groove. As each of the spring clamps can be connected to a corner component and held in place via these stops, the spring clips may be so attached in advance, greatly facilitating assembly of the post wrap apparatus. 
     Preferably, the sliding spring clamp  140  comprises a resilient deformable material, such as a polymeric material. The resilience of the sliding spring clamp permits the spring clamp  140  to be deformed such that the slides  144  and  146  may be pulled away from each other as necessary during assembly of the post cover apparatus, while the restoring force of the spring clamp pulls the slides back toward one another. Advantageously, the slide  146  may be inserted into either of groove  136   a  or  136   b , depending on the particular dimensions of the post to be covered. In various embodiments, the corner components may comprise more or less than the two angled grooves  136   a ,  136   b , in order to provide greater or less control over the interior dimensions of the post wrap apparatus  110 . 
     Assembly of the post cover apparatus  110  may proceed as follows. The four corner components  112  are slidably interconnected with one another, defining a perimeter around the post  12 . The sliding spring clamps  140  are then oriented such that the glides  144 ,  146  are positioned to enter their respective grooves, with the top end  141  of the spring clamp (the portion with the larger angle between the two planar sections) facing upwards. The spring clamps are then pushed upwards, pulling the two corner components together as the spring clamps are bent outward as they move upwards. The corner components are thus pulled flush against the post, and the restorative force of the spring claims ensures a snug fit against the post, while still permitting self-adjustment of the post cover apparatus due to variances in post dimensions. 
     It will be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art that variations and combinations of the above-described embodiments are contemplated, and are within the scope of the invention. For example,  FIGS. 11A-11C  illustrate an alternate version of a corner component  150  to be utilized in conjunction with a sliding spring clamp such as the sliding spring clamp  140  of  FIG. 10A . 
     First with respect to  FIG. 11A , it can be seen that the corner component  150  comprises a spacer  156 , which takes the form of a vertical planar member extending outward from the wing portion  152  of the corner component. The planar member of the spacer  156  is supported by trapezoidal members at the upper and lower sides of the planar member. The trapezoidal support members are notched on the side of the planar member away from the open side  154  of the corner component  150 , resulting in two planar surfaces  162   a  and  162   b  configured to contact one side of the post. The spacer member  156  also includes a portion  164  of the planar member of the spacer  156  which is configured to contact the adjacent side of the post. 
     Next, with respect to  FIG. 11B , it can be seen that the corner component comprises a shallow channel  166  cut into the wall interior surface of the corner component on the same side as the wing portion  152  and configured to receive a slide of a sliding spring clamp, such as the slide  144  of the sliding spring clamp  140  of  FIG. 10A . The channel  166  is covered partially by an elongated member  168  extending slightly farther up the wall along the same portion of the wall as the shallow channel  166 . The member  168  comprises a stop  169  extending outward from the wing portion side of the corner component. As discussed above, this stop  169  comprises a tapered or rounded underside, such that it is easier to push a stop on a spring clamp (such as the stop  148  of the spring clamp  140 ) upward past the stop  169  than it is to pull the spring clamp stop back over the stop  169  when removing the spring clamp. 
     In addition, it can be seen in  FIG. 11C  that the lead-in angles  170  are more pronounced in this embodiment of a corner component than in the corner component  112  of  FIG. 9A . This sharper angle with respect the base of the corner component  150  further facilitates the assembly of a post wrap device, as the glide of a sliding spring clamp (such as the guide  146  of the spring clamp  140 ) will be more easily directed towards the proper groove of the grooves  172   a  and  172   b.    
       FIGS. 12A-12C  illustrate an alternate embodiment of a sliding spring clamp. With respect to  FIG. 12A , it can be seen that like the sliding spring clamp  140  of  FIG. 10A , the sliding spring clamp  180  comprises two glides  182  and  184 , along with a stop  186  located near the glide  182 . As can best be seen in  FIG. 12B , however, the portion of the sliding spring clamp  180  between the glides  182  and  184  does not comprise two substantially planar sections, as in the spring clamp  140  of  FIG. 10A . Rather, the middle portion of the sliding spring clamp comprises two arched substantially rounded portions  188   a ,  188   b  which extend from the base  190  of the spring clamp to the top edge  192 . 
     By providing multiple bends in the spring clamp between the grooves, the profile of the spring clamp can be advantageously reduced. In particular, by decreasing the distance the spring clamp will extend inward towards the post from the interior surfaces of the assembled post wrap apparatus, the interior surfaces of the corner components may be positioned closer to the post. This permits either a reduction in size of the assembled device as a whole, or the fabrication of corner components having thicker walls without increasing the profile of the assembled post wrap apparatus. 
     In addition, it can be seen in  FIG. 12C  that the spring clamp  180  comprises apertures  194  in the middle portion of the spring device, extending through the rounded portions  188   a ,  188   b . These apertures  194  can be cut into the spring clamp  180  in order to modify the behavior of the spring clamp through a reduction in the restoring force applied by the spring clamp. 
     As can be seen, a variety of modifications may be made to each of the above embodiments and are contemplated within the scope of the invention. In addition, as noted above, the invention is not limited to protective devices to be applied at the bases of posts, although the embodiments discussed above have primarily been described with respect to that use. Rather, as noted above, various embodiments may be used to circumscribe the extremity of an upright, perpendicular, or interconnecting frame component or member. 
     The embodiments discussed above may be manufactured in a variety of ways, and from a wide variety of components. In various embodiments, certain components discussed above may comprise polymeric materials. In particular, components such as a spring member  56  or a sliding spring clamp  140  or  180  may be advantageously formed from a polymeric material, as polymeric materials provide desirable flexibility and resilience. In other embodiments, visible components of the post wrap apparatuses may be advantageously formed from a wood composite material, particularly a wood/polymer composite. Such a wood composite provides the aesthetic appeal and functionality of wood components, permitting the components to be easily painted, for example, and these materials also provide additional advantages, such as durability, due to their composite nature. Nevertheless, these components may be formed from other materials, as well. 
     While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the device of process illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. As will be recognized, the present invention may be embodied within a form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forth herein, as some features may be used or practiced separately from others.